Folly of Man
by Aquatic-Idealist
Summary: This continues the story from Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance. Four years after the fall of Ashnard, the wretched populace of Daein rises from the ashes. Begnion has laid claim to all of their lives, but will that enslavement be allowed to continue?
1. Prologue: The Renegade Province

Fire Emblem: Folly of Man

Hello, this is my first fanfiction. Reviews are well appreciated, but please don't declare all out war against me...

I'm a novice! Go easy on me, will ya?

This story assumes that Ike failed to defeat The Black Knight in Chapter 27. Nasir takes over for Ike during the duel, and is trapped along with The Black Knight in Castle Nados. No one knows of their fate. They are both assumed dead.

Prologue: The Renegade Province

The year is Begnion 660. The place, the Continent of Tellius. Years of war have hardened the people of Tellius. Beorc and Laguz alike struggle to rebuild the ashes of their fallen world. The lands of Crimea and Daein lost everything from the great war. But Crimea had the strength to rebuild. Crimea had the chance to start anew. Crimea was still a sovereign nation.

But Daein had no chance...

Monopolizing upon their victory over the nation of Daein, the Begnion Empire held the land with an iron fist. Claiming that Daein was a renegade province from the beginning, the Apostle, Empress of Begnion, kept her army patrolling the land. Those who dared speak against her will were never heard from again. The people of Daein could stand the oppression no longer, but were forced to stand down before the might of Begnion. Her Pegasus Riders proved overwhelmingly powerful over the native Daein Wyvern Riders. For many months the only emotion the natives of Daein people were familiar with was regret. Regret that their former king, Ashnard, tyrannical and satanic though he was, did not slay the cruel Apostle when he had the chance. They relented Daein's defeat and, though their hatred of Crimea and the Laguz finally lessened somewhat, their repulsion for Begnion was greater than those former loathes combined.

Hope showed itself in a 'Major' Haar. He was a former Wyvern Lord of Daein who deserted to Crimea due to the treachery and evil of Ashnard. Though his family was originally from Begnion, he remained loyal to the Daein people. Because he was one of General Ike's men, he shared the respect and admiration of the Apostle. When he asked for the position of 'Duke of Daein,' his request was granted and he became a major leader in Daein. Thankfully for the Daein people, Haar kept them from experiencing the worst of Begnion's might.

Haar's wife, Jill, was another of the Daein Wyvern Lords. Her father was a major General in Daein, and she shared her father's sense of loyalty and commitment. Born in Daein, she also had a great love for its land and people. Jill had many friends in the Crimean royalty, and thus was able to keep a stable income for Daein to rebuild. However, shortly after hearing of such dealings, the Apostle immediately ordered any outside financial affairs not directly related to the Begnion federal government to be abolished immediately. Fearing that war between Daein and Begnion would break out, Jill hastily ended these agreements, and as a result, the people of Daein lost their greatest hope for support.

Soon afterward, Haar's actions of humanitarian aid to the Daein people were taken as acts of insurrection by the Begnion Imperial Intelligence Services, the Apostle's personal retinue of spies. Realizing that Haar's loyalty lay not with the Empire but with Daein, the Apostle decided that a revolution was beginning in Daein, and thus, must end.

Jill hastily assumed the position of envoy for Daein, and flew in great haste to Crimea to speak with Queen Elincia. Her old friendship with the Queen, along with Crimea's national hero, General Ike, was her trump card in earning support among Crimeans for Daein's plight. Duke Haar led his army to engage the Begnion forces in the Battle of Tor Garen. The result was a minor victory in that though Begnion was forced to retreat, the Empire gained knowledge of Daein's military tactics and the number of troops guarding the border. Daein was outnumbered, and would soon be outgunned by the Empire. All Haar could do was buy more time for his country with more small victories...

But Haar had an divided province for a 'nation.' Shortly after Haar's ascension, his scouts reported that the legendary Black Knight, one of Ashnard's main supporters and a hero of Daein, was alive and had gathered an army known as the Daein Revolutionary Army (DRA), as opposed to Haar's Daein Liberation Front (DLF). The Daein Revolutionary Army was gaining a huge amount of followers and reinforcements. After a long drawn-out battle with the Begnion army ended in defeat, the Daein Liberation Front substantially lost morale, and defections became quite alarming. The DRA, boasting several victories in guerilla raids on Begnion border guards, finally won over the hearts of the Daein people. After a short civil war between the two armies of Daein, Haar's headquarters in Nevassa were captured by the DRA and, thus, the Duke was forced to flee to a remote corner of the Daein countryside.

Jill stayed in the Crimean royal palace, fearing for her husband's life. The Crimean army arrived too late to save the Daein Liberation Front, and were driven away by the Daein Revolutionary Army. Drying her tears, Jill decided to remain as a minister of the Crimean army, gathering enough resources to recruit an army strong enough to save Daein...


	2. Surprise!

Mind you, Characters in this story may seem Out of Character, but considering that four years have gone by since the events in POR, I'd say that our heroes are quite likely to have changed. Don't you agree?

Update: I decided to revamp this chapter a bit. Anonymous reviews are now welcome. (I just became an active member, so I still don't know how to work this thing... No matter...)

Chapter 1: Surprise! 

Since Ashnard's fall, the nation of Crimea has gone through ups and downs. However, due to the leadership of Queen Elincia and the wisdom of her Prime Minister Soren, as well as through her retainers: Generals Geoffrey, Kieran, and Lucia, as well as Minister Bastian, the nation has seen great times of prosperity more often than not.

Here, in Castle Crimea, they relax and attempt to enjoy their days:

"My Queen, General Ike has arrived."

"My good Geoffrey, please escort him to the throne room."

"Your majesty, Duchess Jill has requested time and time again for an army to aid the nation of Daein in its civil war, as well as the fight against Begnion."

"What is your opinion of the situation, Prime Minster Soren?"

"To aid Daein at this time is folly. Though Jill is our former comrade, she has not fully calculated Crimea's ability to help in the matter. We sent an army earlier, and it was defeated. Crimea is still rebuilding from the Great War, and a war with Begnion would be a catastrophe. Crimea has no chance to fight the Empire; all we can hope for is to stay back and watch what happens."

"Knowing you, Soren, your advice is always for the good of the Kingdom. Very well, Crimea will not fight."

"My Queen, the matter is quite urgent."

"Yes, yes, my good Kieran. Soren, you will accompany us, won't you?"

"Of course. It would be a pleasure to see Ike again."

Soren and Elincia went to the gate, where a blue-haired mercenary was waiting.

"Soren! Long time no see! Your majesty, it is certainly an honor to see you again."

"My lord Ike... I feel so glad that you've come. How have your days been as a mercenary?"

"Your majesty, with peace restored in Crimea, we rarely get any more sightings of bandits."

"How are Rhys, Mia, Gatrie, and the others?"

"Soren, you didn't know? Rhys and Mia are married now."

"Ah! That would be difficult, then, to send them into battle."

"Of course it is, but they're both pretty resilient, and dependable. Mia won't let the fact that she's a wife stop her from doing her duties."

"Fate's surely been kind to you mercenaries. I hear that you haven't had many jobs to do recently. So, how's Gatrie doing?"

(Ike smirked) "He and Ilyana are starting to get serious."

Soren smiled as well, slowly rising from his chair. "And now, Ike, though it always is a pleasure to see you again, we've been quite busy, so please inform us of the reason why you've come."

"I'd be glad to. We need funds to build ourselves a ship."

"A ship? Why would you guys need a ship? Don't you usually have tasks on land?"

"Yeah, they're mainly local, but there have been several pirate attacks on ports in the more rural areas of Crimea. With Brom and Nephenee gone, it's difficult for us to keep them at bay. We'll need money for that ship, so that we can combat those pirates."

"Then, my lord Ike, we would be glad to help you build that ship. Bastian, fetch the greatest mariner of the land! We'll need someone with experience to test our new vessel. Geoffrey, you've heard Ike's proposal, now get going and find a shipbuilder!"

A few days later, as the ship was still under construction, Soren asked for some time off. "My lady, I have been serving you continuously for several years now. I would like some time to rest and think about what has happened over the years. Hopefully, with some cognition, I can think of better ways to help Crimea."

"You know I could never refuse a simple proposal from one of my most loyal advisors. Soren, feel free to have a vacation for, say, two months? I have Bastian to help me, and you've worked so hard. You deserve a long break indeed."

"Thank you, your majesty."

"I will also order Commander Devdan to escort you."

"That would be great."

Soren soon found himself taking a stroll in the beautiful Crimean countryside, with Devdan beside him. "So Devdan, you never went back to Begnion, did you?"

"No, Devdan like it here. Begnion too full of rules and mean guards. Crimea happy and peaceful."

"Hmn..." Soren muttered, barely listening. The two walked for a time in silence, when suddenly...

"This is the Daein Revolutionary Army! We order you two to surrender immediately. Drop your weapons and comply!"

"Soren, we are attacked!"

"I know, but we're not defenseless. Devdan, hold off those Knights with your Brave Lance. I'll take care of the Archers and Warriors." Soren replied.

"Yes, Prime Minster." Devdan replied as he charged forward.

"Elthunder!" Soren yelled. Lightening bolts lept toward the Daein forces, electrifying several of them. After a substantial number of Archers and six Warriors went down, the Daein troops began to show signs of fear. At that moment...

"Hyaah! I may be old, but I'm no weakling!"

"Take that, you rowdy cattle! I ain't gonna let some wimps lyke you git mah friends hurt!"

"Brom! Nephenee! It's a blessing that you've come!" Soren cried.

"We're saved! Devdan happy!" Devdan cheered.

"Soren, it's good to see you. Nephenee and I have been plowing this here land. I was just herding some cattle when I saw you and Devdan fighting those Daein troops."

"And I was milking my cow. I barely got them armor on 'fore I got here." Nephenee added.

"Well, no matter the circumstance, you're both here. Ike's been looking for you."

"Ike? Looking for us? Hah! Guess he don't know where to look." Nephenee laughed.

"Anyways, we'd better go. I have to tell the Queen about these Daein troops." Soren replied. Our four heroes headed back for Castle Crimea!

"It can't be possible! Daein troops in the Crimean countryside? But they'd have to march past the palace, unless..."

"Unless they are arriving by ship, which means that we'll have to quicken progress on that ship we're building. Nephenee, Brom, could you stay with me for a new journey?"

"I'm sorry, Ike, my family needs me for..."

"That's alright, Brom, you're a family man. I understand that you have to care for your family. Nephenee, how about you?"

"Give me a horse, and I'll go tell my folks. They git worried, but they know that I'll make it out fine."

"Excellent."

As our heroes prepared for their new adventure, new arrivals came from Gallia. "Ranulf? Lethe? Mordecai? Long time no see!"

"Yes, beorc. It has been some time. We in Gallia are doing well. I have come as an envoy from my nation. We saw several Daein mounted units scurrying around, so we decided to help you." Lethe replied.

"That's excellent! We need all the help we can get." Soren replied. Lethe and Ranulf glanced at Soren strangely.

"You seem eager these days. When I last saw you, you were that twitchy and angry beorc, high-strung and quite pompous. Now you're actually lively." Ranulf chuckled.

"I've changed, laguz. All things fade away with time. My sullenness is one of them." Soren replied.

"No matter. We've come to do business, not to waste precious minutes chatting when that can be accomplished at any time." Lethe sighed. Soren eyed her strangely as they entered the throne room.

"So, noble laguz of Gallia, what are your opinions on the matter?" The Queen asked.

"Those foolish Beorc are spending their energies fighting amongst each other. There is no purpose for either Crimea or Gallia to get involved. If Daein wants independence, it'll have to fight Begnion for it. If Begnion wants Daein to remain a 'province,' it must defeat Daein. Either side already has its priorities straight. Our arrival would simply make matters worse."

"But Lethe, Jill is Duchess of Daein! You can't call yourself a good friend if you don't help her free Daein from Begnion rule!"

"Your point, Ike? Tanith and Marcia are warriors of Begnion, and they are also old friends of ours. Would you betray them for Jill and Haar? It's irrelevant. We may have befriended people from both sides, but our personal friendships should not get in the way of international duties. Crimea and Gallia do not have to interfere."

"But what about those Daein soldiers? They have attacked Crimea. We must order them to stand down." Soren spoke.

"But if you attack Daein, then you'll get involved with Begnion. It's inevitable, both our nations will get caught in the war. Those troops barely did any damage. Just pay the victims for reparations, fortify your ports and boost your navy, and things should be fine. It's better to stay out of a war than enter it." Ranulf added.

"True, and what are your opinions, Mordecai?"

"Your majesty, better Crimea not fight, then go get caught in fight. I think that fighting and blood are bad, so we shouldn't make more of them." Mordecai replied.

"Then I suppose that Crimea shall not fight. Lethe, Mordecai, Ranulf, feel free to remain here as long as you wish." The three beast laguz bowed in return.

Soren strolled along the dark corridors that night, pondering about Jill and her constant lobbying for an army to save Daein. "Lethe and the others from Gallia seem to want to avoid this war, but then how will I be able to look Jill in the face and tell her? True, it's crazy to think that Daein will win, but what if it does? In the event of Daein's victory, Begnion will expect us as former beneficiaries to aid her in recapturing Daein. We'd have to turn Jill in to them and thus betray her to the Apostle. Is that what we truly desire? No, Jill is an old comrade. She nearly died fighting alongside Ike and the others. I... I can't bear betraying her for such a ridiculous situation... We fought Ashnard together. She gave up everything for us. I cannot betray her! But what of Lethe? Should I allow her, Ranulf, Mordecai, and the others to deal with the might of Begnion? That cannot be allowed either! Oh, this... This is truly a dilemma that we cannot hope to ignore!" Soren thought. At that moment, he collided with a warm, furry object...

"Watch it, Beorc!"

"Lethe?"

"It's surprising that you are so clumsy for a tactician, Soren. Bah, what am I saying? A male beorc not even able to wield a stinking iron weapon properly, when even the females can do it! Talk about clumsiness!"

"Well, at least I am not brutish like you are, solving problems using your little claws."

"Hmn, touchy, aren't we? You're merely too weak to use weapons, yet you are too foolish to stay back during a battle. You hold a textbook in the air and think you can fight! Hah! What a pitiful weakling!"

"Grr... It've taken out more than sixty soldiers using my tomes and spells. It's a pity you lack the intellectual capacity to use them."

"Oh, using childish retorts now, are we? Have I injured your ego, little beorc?"

"You think you are so grand, don't you? By calling me stupid and weak, perhaps you are simply a hurt little cat! Oh, poor, spoiled, pampered you! You've come to complain, haven't you, pathetic critter? You've come to vent your measly frustrations on me, haven't you? How, how pitiful!" At that remark, Lethe growled and morphed into her laguz form. She pounced on Soren, who was quickly pinned.

"Don't test my patience, little beorc. You think that I've never experienced suffering, don't you? My kin were slaves before we fled to Gallia, and even in Gallia, I, as a young female cat, had to go thorough extensive military training. Do you think it is easy for a female in heat to fight several perverted, battle-hardened males and win? I had to fight 20 full grown males before I was eleven years old! Do you even understand how difficult of a life that is? The life of a soldier? Yet you act like a little arrogant beorc, believing that no one else understands the pain of being an orphan and all alone. I had no parents either, beorc! I had to suffer dearly in my life, and whatever you faced, I can be certain that I fared no better!" Lethe glared at him with her piercing eyes. Soren glared back.

"So Ranulf was wrong, you haven't changed at all!" She hissed. "You are still that foul mouthed brat of a beorc who is too egotistical and introverted to understand the feelings of others. You've become Prime Minister, oh, how great! You think you can walk over everyone else. Have you no shame? I feel sick when I think of the times we fought side by side... Calling you an old comrade is truly an insult!" Lethe snarled as she bounded off.

"Lethe..." Soren muttered as she ran away. "Did I hit a nerve? Wow. It's been only four months since I became Prime Minister, and I'm already pulling a Shinon. And to think, he who once despised that Sniper for his arrogance ends up becoming arrogant himself. Maybe, maybe she's right... I have not changed... well, that ends now!"

The next morning, Soren sat opposite Ike at the dining hall, in silence. Jill also sat at the same table, eager to learn of the Gallian's opinions. "Lady Jill, the Gallian delegates have decided that, due to the risk of war with Begnion, they do not wish to help Daein in the struggle."

"What?! How, how could this be? Haar is out risking his life, and none of you are willing to help him? We've all been through so much, and all you'll do is refuse and let Daein fall into ruin once more? Don't you have a sense of guilt for the extent of damage to Daein during the Great War?" Jill stammered.

"I'm sorry, Jill. Lethe made a point."

"LETHE?! No, it can't be. I can't take this... Even Lethe would blind herself to foolish selfishness. Please excuse me, your majesty." Jill immediately got up and left the table.

"Nice going, Ike."

"What, Soren? I had to tell her the truth!"

"You didn't have to mention Lethe. She and Jill are practically sisters. Jill couldn't take both the pain of losing her dream and being betrayed by her sister. You should have known."

"What?" Ike spoke. Soren continued eating, ignoring Ike's foolish objections.

Meanwhile, more people began to appear at the castle gates. "My lady, Titania and the others of the Greil Mercenaries have arrived." Geoffrey announced.

"Titania? I thought she'd stay back at the fort. I'll go greet them too." Ike spoke.

"So shall I. It has been some time." Soren added. "

Soren! It's good to see you!" Rhys greeted.

"Soren, it's been a while." Titania added.

"Soren, I am glad to see that you are alright." Oscar beamed.

"Hey, old punching bag, how've you been?" Boyd grinned.

"Soren, ol' buddy, long time no see! And no more frown, how appealing!" Gatrie laughed. "Hah, that angry idiot doesn't look so angry. How've you been, Soren?" Shinon smirked.

"Soren! How have you been, old bookworm?" Mia taunted.

"Soren! Um, nice to see you." Mist smiled.

"Uncle Soren! Uncle Soren! You never came to visit!" Rolf pouted.

"Boy, Soren, you seem popular." Ike chuckled.

"Yes, yes. It's good to see all of you. Rhys, Mia, I congratulate both of you on your marriage. Gatrie, thanks, I'm happier than I've ever been. Titania, I hope you don't find me rude anymore. Oscar, it is always an honor to meet you. Boyd, no, that will never happen again. Shinon, I'm fine, and I think you are too. Mist, nice to see you too, and Rolf, I admit, I've been too busy to visit..." Soren sighed.

"You smile, but you still look as though someone's died. You can't trick us that easily, Soren. Something must be troubling you." Titania replied.

"Something's been troubling all of us, Titania. Everyone, come inside. The Queen has to hear from you." Ike spoke. After a long conversation with the Queen, our heroes found themselves divided on the theory that Crimea should fight Begnion to save Daein. But after this long talk, everyone felt tired and were ready to go to sleep. During that night...

"The stars are so bright tonight. Perhaps I won't sleep for now." Lethe muttered to herself. She heard a rustling noise behind her. "Hmn? Who is it? Oh, it's you." Her eyes narrowed as Soren emerged from the bushes.

"Interesting. Great minds think alike. I also come here to view the stars at night." Soren greeted her.

"Easy for you to claim this place as yours, Beorc." Lethe scowled.

"You're quite touchy, for a laguz. Mordecai, Ranulf, Reyson, Leanne, even Muarim are all more agreeable than you." Soren chuckled.

"The first three you speak of are male. Female laguz act differently than males, just like beorc do. As for Leanne, she's a naive bird, what can I say? Muarim's a male, first of all, and secondly, he's... well... forgiving because he has Tormod." Lethe replied. Soren laughed softly.

"I always did enjoy your little retorts. We seem so alike, you and I. I'm sorry if I offended you earlier... I was, how do you say, a little insulted by your treatment of Jill. You've spoke to her, haven't you?" Soren replied uneasily.

"Well, I do feel guilty for hurting Jill, but I fear that speaking to her would only make things worse." Lethe replied. Soren laughed.

"And you call me introverted. Speaking to Jill would definitely work! She needs to know why her dreams cannot be fulfilled. She risked her own life and Haar's to get here, and she's constantly worried if Haar will be ok. You should go speak to her."

"Strange, and I thought that you were selfish and heartless. I retract my former statement. You have changed, but you original tendencies still remain. Very well, I will speak to Jill. Thank you, Soren." Lethe nodded.

"Anytime, Lethe. Anytime." Soren smiled.

In the bushes, a pair of eyes glared at Lethe and Soren. Seeing Soren's laugh and Lethe's joyful nod, those eyes narrowed menacingly.


	3. Intrigue

Warning: A certain character will suffer dearly in this chapter, and for the remainder of the story, until he passes away. Guess who?

Chapter 2: Intrigue

Later that night...

"Heh, idiots... Now I can raid the storage bins... That barrel of jerky sure looks excellent. Wait, who goes there? Whoah!" Shinon was knocked onto the ground. "What the?..." Shinon found himself pinned.

"Silence, beorc!"

"Ranulf? Is that you?"

"Yes, it is I. I've come to speak to you, wimpy beorc." Ranulf growled.

"Filthy sub- Laguz! You call me wimpy, but wait till I fill your body with arrows from my Brave Bow!" Shinon snarled.

"Go ahead, stupid beorc. Try my patience. I've come to make a deal with you." Ranulf spoke.

"Yeah, what?" Shinon asked.

"You know of Lethe, do you not?" Ranulf asked.

"That filthy... Cat? Of course I do! What about her?" Shinon asked.

"Speak of her as filthy and I'll slash your eyes out! I love her, but she seems to have developed a liking for a certain Soren." Ranulf replied.

"... A beorc, and a laguz? How, how... it can't be!" Shinon groaned.

"Exactly. You don't have anything against pure breed laguz, do you, beorc?" Ranulf asked.

"Well... Of course not. But we need to stop anything from happening between those two." Shinon replied.

"Yes, well, if I pay you to help me capture Lethe, will you help me find safe passage to some other area?" Ranulf asked.

"I know of a few Daein Sergeants formerly under my command. Though I was newly recruited to the Daein army when Ike and the others first found me, I was a Sniper and was thus given a rank higher than most soldiers. My rank was equivalent to that of Second Lieutenant. Though, they are part of the Daein Revolutionary Army, so you might get killed." Shinon replied.

"Oh, don't give me that! Just tell them that I'm a smart Feral One and be done with it!" Ranulf replied.

"Ok, but don't you... laguz have dignity?" Shinon asked.

"I would sacrifice my dignity, so long as I'm allowed to be with Lethe." Ranulf replied.

"Ah, I see. Ok, I'll try to contact them, but we'll keep in touch." Shinon replied.

"Nice doing business with you." Ranulf replied. Shinon found himself free as he heard Ranulf scamper away.

The next day, Jill and Lethe were seen standing side by side. "Why, Lethe, would you do such a thing?" Jill muttered.

"Jill... I know it must be hard for you." Lethe replied.

"Hard? That's an understatement! I've been worrying myself sick over Haar! The DRA might end up destroying what's left of the DLF, and Haar will be killed! If they fail to get him, then Begnion definitely will!" Jill spoke with tears in her eyes.

"Jill... I'm sorry... But you realize that if Crimea and Gallia enter this war, more will be lost..." Lethe replied.

"Isn't that how all wars are, Lethe? And all this time I thought you were the cynical one! At least this war would have a purpose, would have a dream that would be fulfilled if we were victorious." Jill replied.

"But what of our defeat? Begnion would kill the Laguz helpers of Crimea and Daein for aiding in the insurrection. Crimea and Gallia would both be additional provinces, and Daein's position would be hopeless. Ike, Soren, Haar, the others, you and I would all be slain, as well as countless Crimean, Daein, and Gallian civilians. Is that what you wish for?" Lethe snapped.

"Better we all die with honor, and our souls be blessed by the Goddess, than live as cowards with Begnion victorious over Daein without any moral lives supporting it!" Jill replied.

Thus, Lethe was quite moved by Jill's statement. "Mordecai, please return to Gallia and inform the King that I may join the battle against Daein." Lethe spoke.

"What, someone does agree to the war?" Ike asked.

"Yes, count me in." Lethe answered.

"You do? Well, what do you think, Soren?" Ike asked.

"First, what did Jill say to you, Lethe?" Soren asked her.

"It is better that we die honorably fighting Begnion and saving Daein, than it would be to act as cowards and remain sitting on the fence while Daein is destroyed." Lethe spoke.

"Hmn, interesting..." Soren mused. "Give me time to think it over..." He added.

"You've been given time, but I guess that this shouldn't be a rash decision." Lethe replied.

As the days drew on, little news came from the outside. Soren and Lethe found themselves sitting alone in a light conversation once again. "Seeing these halls like this brings back memories of that bitter day." Soren spoke.

"Yes. We were so lucky that none of us fell that day... So many Feral Ones forced to do Ashnard's bidding... So many of them Dragons and Cats! It was terrible for me to fight my own brethren. As for you, those knights nearly killed you!... And those Dragons... You were truly brave to slay every single one of them." Lethe thought aloud.

"Well, I couldn't have done it if you hadn't kept those Swordmasters and Tiger Feral Ones at bay, and if Kieran hadn't attacked two of the Dragons with his Killer Axe." Soren replied.

"Still, in essence, you saved Kieran's life. It's an amazing feat, considering that we all used to look down at you for being... less physically competent." Lethe replied.

"Hah, well... You fought courageously as well, Lethe. Few could handle so many opponents at once. Boyd could barely hold his own, and Gatrie kept on panicking! Tibarn had to work overtime to help those two, but you fought off the enemy with ease." Soren replied.

"... I had help, from Rhys, from you, from Tanith..." Lethe flushed slightly.

"Yes, Tanith. I wonder how she is... Fighting Daein, probably. It is so sickening that, in choosing sides, we have to face old friends like that." Soren replied.

"It truly is..." Lethe muttered as the two of them stared into the sky.

Later, that evening, Ranulf crouched beside Shinon, his face filled with disgust. "What's gotten into you?" Shinon asked.

"That.. Soren... He and Lethe together makes me feel so sick." Ranulf growled.

"Hah, yeah! And I thought I hated Ike. You really despise Soren, don't you?" Shinon laughed.

"Despising him is an understatement. I wish to tear him apart, and to taste his flesh..." Ranulf spoke.

"Wow, and I feel the same about Ike. I always hated Soren as well, but not as strongly as Ike. Now that you speak of it, that judgmental dastard would never leave me alone! Maybe it was right for me to help you. That way, we can get rid of both of them. You'll have Lethe, and I'll have peace, for once!" Shinon cheered.

"Fool, someone will hear us!" Ranulf growled.

"Yes, someone did." A voice from behind them spoke.

"Geoffrey?" Shinon froze.

"If you desire to report this to Elincia or to the others, Beorc, I will kill you before you can get away." Ranulf hissed.

"No need to do that, Ranulf. I want to join you." Geoffrey replied. Ranulf and Shinon looked at each other.

"Join us, beorc? Interesting... And I thought you revered Ike." Ranulf smirked.

"Revered him? Hah! Are you kidding me? That dastard took Elincia's heart! I am Geoffrey, the one who served her for so long! The one who loved her! The one who would do anything to make her happy, and she loves Ike! Ike doesn't share her love! Ike considers it an annoyance. That would break her heart! I can't let that happen... I can't let Elincia suffer. I must take Ike away. Yes, that will save Elincia. I will protect her. I will keep on loving her. She will be safe, with me." Geoffrey muttered.

"Touching." Shinon sneered.

"So, we three are united in our feelings. I hate Soren, and I love Lethe. Shinon hates Ike, and he also hates Soren. Geoffrey hates Ike, and loves Elincia. We're united by both love and hate, and thus, we make the best team. Let us go and plan our next moves." Ranulf smiled.

Again, read and review!


	4. A Grim Reunion

Chapter 3: A Grim Reunion 

Ike, Mist, Soren, Lethe, Oscar, and Rhys were sitting at a table, simply enjoying a short chat in the meeting room with Queen Elincia. They were all royal guests, after all, so they found no reason to feel embarrassed or rude. "And so, my lord Ike, tell me. After having fought so many battles in the Great War and having your peace for these years, what more do you desire?"

"Your majesty... I feel honored that you would care. Personally, I have been feeling uneasy about the situation in Daein. If Begnion continues this battle, would it be truly wise for Crimea to not get involved? Begnion, having crushed this 'rebellion,' would be too powerful for us to engage it... It's only a matter of time before Begnion decides that we are rebels and attacks us as well."

"Speak of the devil! What just flew by the window?!" Soren shouted. Our heroes soon heard smashing noises on the roof.

"Everyone! Duck! Something's trying to get in!" Oscar shouted.

"Your majesty, please retreat to the throne room. I will take care of this!" Lucia called as she ran into the room.

Elincia quickly escaped as Bastian entered. "By the gods! What madness is this? Our palace so fair, under attack by unspeakable foes!" With a few more bangs, the ceiling collapsed and a large object descended into the room: a Pegasus!

"This is Colonel Luciana of the Begnion Pegasus Knights! We have heard that Queen Crimea of the Kingdom of Crimea has housed a certain Duchess Jill of Daein! Hand over the Duchess immediately, or you will all be slain!" The Falcoknight shouted at them.

"The Duchess you speak of is right here!" Jill cried, descending from the sky. As the two mounted ladies battled, more Pegasus Knights appeared.

"Where's Rolf or Shinon when you need them? Tornado!" Soren called. The knights of Begnion were caught in the tempest, but even so, they were still active and began besting Lucia and Lethe in combat.

"Disband, you wretched fools! Do you even know what you are doing?!" A loud voice called from a distance.

"Tanith?" Ike spoke.

General Tanith, riding her gallant Pegasus, came crashing into the room. She was quickly followed by Lieutenant Marcia and a retinue of Pegasus Knights. "Colonel Luciana, by disobeying my orders and attacking this palace, you have nearly caused a war between Begnion and Crimea. The Empress never asked us to harm anyone, only to fetch Jill." Tanith spoke.

Luciana smiled: "That is where you are wrong. The Crimeans are old traitors, who seceded from the Empire long ago. The Apostle desired them to be destroyed. I am only fulfilling the Apostle's desire. By stopping me, it is you who have defied the Empress. You aid these Crimeans solely because you consider yourself a friend of theirs. You are also a traitor, and the Empire shall be cleansed of vermin! All units, kill her!" Luciana shouted.

"What? This is madness!" Tanith cried.

"Crackers! Everyone, charge!" Marcia ordered.

"I guess we'd better help Marcia and Tanith. Engage!" General Ike shouted in the melee.

All Soren could see was a whirl of color and sound as armor clashed against armor and women's screams filled the air. At that moment, he heard the twang of a bow, and Luciana fell.

"Rolf!" Oscar cried. "What have you done?"

As the smoke cleared, Luciana was sprawled onto the table, rapidly losing blood. Rhys stepped forward, but was held back by Ike. "Explain to me why you have attacked us without provocation!" Ike spoke.

"General... Tanith... Traitor to Empire... Traitor to Begnion... I will... Never give information to a filthy Crimean!... I die... For the Apostle..." Luciana's eyes closed.

Ike glared at Tanith. "Why have you come here in such a manner? Speak!"

"Ike, all I know is that we Pegasus Knights were ordered to come here and take Jill for questioning. Colonel Luciana was part of my battalion. I did not anticipate that she would attack the Crimean royal palace in order to find Jill." Tanith spoke.

"Well, I'm right here. What? You would betray an old friend for the good of Begnion? Hah, I'll be taken for questioning. Do you take me for a fool? I doubt that it is that simple. They want to hold me as a hostage so that they can negotiate with the factions of Daein. That must be it... You don't care about us at all. You're just some loyal soldier, blindly following orders. I am sick of this. Tanith, there was a time that I thought quite highly of you. Now, I know that my faith in you was a mirage." Jill turned her head and urged her Wyvern to fly away.

At this moment, Luciana's remaining units raised their weapons. "General Tanith, you have aided in the murder of Colonel Luciana. You are hereby guilty of insurrection. The Empire must be cleansed. There shall be no refuge for a traitor. You shall now be executed." They spoke.

More Pegasus Knights appeared from a distance. "What? Marcia! Hold them off! This is laughable. What is happening here?" Tanith readied her Sonic Sword.

A Falcoknight of the reinforcing squadron of Pegasus Knights shouted: "All units! Retreat! General Tanith, this is Captain Kristie of the Begnion Pegasus Knights. You have slain an officer of rank in the Empire, which is an act of insurrection. You are no longer Deputy Commander of the Pegasus Knights, and your rank of General has been revoked. All units under the former Deputy Commander's command are ordered to join me immediately. We will return to headquarters and inform the Apostle of these matters. We shall seize the Duchess of Daein another day." She spoke.

"Guys, we're not leaving. Tanith, we're sticking with you all the way." Marcia spoke.

"Lieutenant, join this formation! That's an order!" The Captain shouted.

"I'm afraid I'll have to defy that silly request. Chao!" Marcia smirked.

"You will regret your decision. The Empire shall hunt you down! You are both formally outlaws, and are revoked of your citizenship in the Begnion Empire. We shall be enemies from now on. All units, retreat!" She cried. The entire squadron flew away.

"I'm, I'm confused. Tanith, you've just been branded as a traitor? Does that mean Crimea and Begnion are now at war?" Mist spoke.

"Mist, be quiet." Ike scolded her.

"Tanith, Marcia, Pegasus riders, we will be glad to provide you all with a lodging. We will do our best to accommodate you. Bastian, get Geoffrey and Kieran here to fix this roof!" Lucia shouted. Our heroes could only stand in stunned silence as a shocked Tanith and skeptical Marcia left the room.

"So let me get this straight. You came under orders to get Jill to go to Begnion to speak to the Apostle. All of a sudden, this Colonel under your command gets different orders, and the two of you, along with some random Captain as a reinforcement battalion, sneak through Crimean airspace and arrive near the Capital. The Colonel descends and attacks the palace, and by the time you finally realize what is going on, you descend to stop her. At that moment, Rolf here kills the Colonel (being the great shot that he is), and you've been branded as a traitor. Marcia chooses to defy orders and join you, along with all of the Pegasus Knights that serve in your personal squadron." Kieran spoke to Tanith in the meeting room.

Tanith merely drooped her head and nodded. "Golly! This is bad news... Glad to see you, Tanith, but not like this!" Boyd blurted out.

"Everyone, we have to let the Queen speak!" Geoffrey shouted over them.

"My good Tanith. I heard of the unfortunate circumstances of your arrival. But still, no matter the circumstances, it is a blessing to have you here. Because of the attack on the palace, Begnion has declared war on Crimea. You are branded as a traitor, and have started to live here, which would make Crimea guilty of housing a Begnion renegade. But, General, I can never forget the courageous battle in which you fought Ashgard for the good of Crimea. Though you originally did so under the banner of Begnion, you did so at the risk of your own life. Because you fought with General Ike and all his companions, we consider you as a sister of sorts, a member of our family. I guess this means that we're undergoing a family reunion, no matter how tearful. Sister, we will make certain that the Apostle will never be able to take you away!" Elincia spoke. All present rose and cheered.

Tanith humbly bowed. "I do not deserve such a treatment. I betrayed both the Apostle, and you. I knew exactly what the Empress would do to Jill, yet, following orders, I accepted the mission. You call me a sister, but I don't deserve to be your sister. I don't deserve to be so readily accepted by any of you. Jill was right. I betrayed her, and if you consider all of us to be family, then I've betrayed this family. I disowned myself the moment I left the Apostle's side to go on this mission. No, it is best if you kill me before I become a meaningless liability for you."

Ike stepped forward. "Don't say that! Everyone is a fool at times. You were merely being a good soldier, like you've been trained to be. You must have miscalculated the outcome of this. You should have known that Jill would never have agreed to going with you, but it's over now. It's better that you came than any other Begnion Pegasus Rider, or that Rider wouldn't be alive right now. Tanith, you are our sister. Whatever you do can easily be forgiven. Family can never stay hateful at each other for long! What we need to do now is to get you a home, some food, and some rest. As long as one is alive, there is a way. I hope you don't mind being a Crimean General and dealing with Boyd, but we are overjoyed to have you with us." He comforted her.

"Ike..." Tanith looked at him.

"With that said, Marcia, if you went with Tanith, then where's Makalov?" Soren spoke.

"Oh, no! Makalov! Crackers, he'll get hurt for this." Marcia gasped.

"What have I done? Makalov! Oh, I am truly pathetic..." Tanith moaned.

"Soren, you big mouth!" Lethe scolded.

"It's too late to think now, let us reconvene in the morning." Ike spoke.

The next morning, Tanith, Marcia, Soren, Ike, Elincia, Jill, Rolf, Mist, Oscar, Boyd, Rhys, Kieran, Bastian, Lucia, Nephenee, Brom, Gatrie, Ilyana, and Titania sat in the meeting room. "Makalov... Is lost... There is no way we can save him now. With him as a hostage, this means war between Crimea and Begnion." Soren spoke.

"Because of this, wouldn't the most logical thing to do be saving Daein? We'd better get our troops ready." Titania spoke.

"Saving Daein! Oh, Lethe, we can finally fulfill my dream! Lethe?" Jill looked around.

"That reminds me, Lethe isn't here. I thought she'd be one of the first to come." Ike muttered.

"Speaking of Lethe, where's Ranulf?" Rhys asked.

"And funny, Geoffrey's missing. That's not like him." Lucia spoke.

"Yeah, weird, and Shinon's gone." Gatrie added.

Our heroes began to look about the palace, searching for their missing friends...

What happened to Lethe? The answer may lie in the previous night.

The plot thickens...

As always, read and review!


	5. Kidnapped!

As you might have noticed from my profile, Ranulf is one of my favorite characters. The Ranulf who has allied himself with Shinon does not seem to be the same Ranulf in the game, or does not seem to be the same Ranulf who advised Elincia to keep out of the war, no? Clearly, it is an impostor!

Impostors suck, and Ranulf's honor is being desecrated. It is time for us to unmask him and uphold Ranulf's honor!

Chapter 4: Kidnapped!

"I could sniff you out from a mile away. You aren't Ranulf! Who are you?!" Lethe spoke.

"What do you mean, Lethe? Of course I'm Ranulf! There's only one blue cat in this world." Ranulf replied.

"No, you aren't. I know how each of my friends smell, and I'd especially know the scent of my childhood companion! You are not Ranulf! You are an imposter! You might be able to trick the beorc, but you can't trick me!" Lethe readied her claws and morphed into laguz form!

"Hah, so you've caught on. I am Tonerk, the only Feral One raised by The Black Knight. I must put an end to you, lover of a human!" Tonerk growled as he pounced on Lethe.

"You shall never harm Soren, or any of my comrades!" Lethe snarled back. The two fought, but the impostor proved too powerful for Lethe...

"Ranulf? Are you alright?" Geoffrey spoke.

"I'm fine. Help me load this into the wagon." Tonerk replied. Shinon stepped forward to greet him.

"Hey, man. Looks like you've finally got Lethe for yourself, without us." Shinon smirked.

"Don't worry, I still need you two. We're going to Daein. Shinon, did you speak with some of your former units?" Tonerk asked.

"Yep, and they'll meet us en route." Shinon replied.

"Then we shall depart. Geoffrey, you will be part of the rearguard! Shinon, you and I will be in front. Lethe will be chained in the center of our convoy. Move out!" Tonerk cried.

Ike and the others frantically searched for Lethe. However, Soren, noticing a change in Ranulf's habits before his disappearance, decided to examine his room carefully. He noticed some strands of fur that seem to have been yanked off. And when he examined the room further, he actually found spots of blood. "What? This couldn't be? Stupid Boyd, leaving out the details! I must tell the others, and... What's this?" Soren picked up a small piece of parchment with barely legible handwriting on it.

"_This is Ranulf. Lethe is currently in my custody. Shinon and Geoffrey have joined me in our quest to purify our races. If you, Soren, are reading this, then let it be known that your attempt to create a half-breed was discovered the moment you first approached Lethe. It is certain, then, that your goals have failed. Stay away and do not pursue us, or we shall destroy you."_ "This is not possible... I must inform the others..." Soren gagged as he ran off.

In minutes, all of our heroes learned of Lethe's kidnaping. At this moment, Mordecai arrived. "Mordecai! We have terrible news, Lethe has been kidnapped by Ranulf!" Ike spoke.

"That... Is shocking... Before I left, Ranulf told me that he had something to do in Daein. He told me that he would not be able to help you or Elincia, though he felt quite bad about it. That does not seem right to me that he would do such a thing." Mordecai replied.

"... Then perhaps Ranulf is changed. We should be even more weary now." Titania spoke.

"Soren? Where is he? Have any of you seen Soren?" Mist asked.

"After he told me, he ran off. I just told all of you, but none of you have seen him?" Ike asked.

"None of us have..." Oscar muttered.

"I have a good nose. I will go find him." Mordecai replied.

"Thanks for your help." Ike nodded.

Mordecai sniffed along as he patrolled the grounds near the castle. He found Soren sitting alone in a small clearing, surrounded by a large amount of bushes. As Mordecai approached him, Soren spoke: "I heard you coming, Laguz. Now, what do you want from me? Why can't you leave me alone?"

"Everyone is curious why you have left, Soren." Mordecai spoke.

"Why did I leave? Because they are so judgmental. They take me for face value. None of them see me for who I am... Besides Ike... And Lethe... God! Why did she have to be taken? Why must this world continue tormenting me? Stefan was the only one who understood my plight... Ike sympathized, but he never understood it... But I missed the chance to go to Grann Desert. And now, I am all alone once again." Soren moaned. Mordecai gave him a light wack on the back of the head.

"What?!" Soren stood in anger. Seeing Mordecai's face made him stand down.

"Little beorc. I am no idiot. I can see it in your eyes. You have changed. You..." Mordecai spoke.

Soren looked at Mordecai, and immediately prostrated himself. "Mordecai, I once said something that was too terrible... Horrible... And I never had the sense of responsibility or morality to apologize. You are a great Laguz, one that Lethe trusted the most. I... Miss her... And I'm sure you agree. I truly hate myself for my former ways, and I hope that you can forgive me." Soren replied.

Mordecai laughed. "I am no fool. You are only doing this so that I will help you. (Soren flushed and began to look ashamed.) But anyone who is smart does things for a reason. Didn't I tell Ike long ago that I forgave you? You should remember! I might not understand what you felt before, but I can understand what you're feeling now. Lethe was lucky to have you, and I'm sure that you will be with her again. But I am only one man. You will need the strength of many to save her. Come with me. You can talk to everyone. I'm sure they'll listen. I can bet that they will help you do what you wish." Mordecai smiled. Soren was stunned, but he decided to follow Mordecai nonetheless.

The two of them returned to the palace, where the others immediately greeted them. "I'm sorry Soren." They all spoke, one way or another, but Soren could only nod. Mordecai poked Soren, and Soren was forced to stand before them.

"I know that you all despise me to some degree, and that you think that I'm heartless and cruel. You may not believe this, but I am ashamed of my former self. I've grown. I may still hold some cynicism and a reserved manner, but I have changed. Lethe... Was very dear to me. Ike, you and Stefan were the two people who sympathized with me, but I guess that the rest of you didn't understand who I was. It's my fault. I never let you understand me.

"Titania, you have always thought of me as a rude boor, and maybe I was. Shinon called me judgmental, and I guess I am. Mist, you are always so cheerful, but I've noticed that when I am near, you turn solemn. I guess I made it impossible for myself to grow close to you. Rhys, your valiant healing of our pains is something few are willing to do. You stay so close to the battlefield, and enemies have often breached our perimeters and attempted to kill you. You've healed me so many times, and I would have died had you not come. But I never thanked you. I never even tried to return the favor... I am quite unworthy to stand here before you.

"Mia, Marcia, you both showed me how a personality the exact opposite of my own can do such great things. Both of you saved my life several times, and I never thanked you. I never returned the favor. Mia, Rhys, it was a crime that I did not attend your wedding. Oscar, you and Mist put your passions into your cooking and into your performance in the battlefield. But did I ever give you a word of thanks for either feeding me or saving my life? None. I was thankless, and stupid, yet you put up with me, and I never paid my debts to you.

"Rolf, I've been a cruel uncle. I never bothered to visit you, never bothered to care about you, and I don't deserve that title. Mist, you've been just like Rhys, risking your life to heal us, but I always acted as though those gifts of kindness and compassion were in vain. Tanith, because of you, I lived through the battle in the Crimean capital, and in the campaign from Daein to Crimea. Yet I never thanked you. I was such a thankless wretch. It's been so late that I no longer have any right to ask for your forgiveness.

"Gatrie, you are a shield personified. You took all those hits without wincing, but did I ever cover you? No. Those sages nearly killed you, but I rarely lifted my hand to help. I dishonor you by being in your company. Ilyana, all those months you tried to have me teach you magic were answered with cruel words. I never helped you, I never lifted a finger. Yet, you've become such a powerful spell caster. You've done so well, and even saved me a couple times. But I never thanked you.

"Brom, Nephenee, I used to look down on the two of you for being simple country folk, but what a fool I was! Both of you helped clear the way for our escape into the ship in occupied Crimea, but I never said thanks. And, only recently, you two saved me and Devdan in that fight. Had it not been for you, I would not be breathing much longer. Jill, I know we've never spoken to each other, but you always showed a willingness to help me in battle. You were always there. But did I ever acknowledge that? I did not. I'm certain that you find me quite cruel and pathetic, and perhaps I am. But please, be willing to listen to me. All of you, I never thanked you, I never appreciated you, and I have wasted my chances to let myself become close. Now, all I ask is that you help me do something good for once, for the first person that I have ever... Loved... I ask that you aid me, the emotionless jerk who mistreated all of you, to treat someone kindly. You all have the right to turn your back on me like I did to you, but, for Lethe's sake, please help me." Soren stopped speaking and turned his head, too ashamed to continue.

The room was silent for several minutes. Ike stepped forward. "Soren?" Soren didn't answer. He was too ashamed to look them in the eye. But then:

"Hah! Hah hah hah hah... Soren... I have misjudged you. We've all misjudged you. No, that's an understatement! You've turned completely around. They say that one's strength can be determined the moment they admit their mistakes. I never saw you say a single word of humility, nor did I hear you thank any one of us at all. Yet, today, you've shown yourself. You've shown what kind of person you are. Ike calls me a mother at times, as do the others. Well, if that is true, then you are my son." Titania laughed. Soren stared at her in shock.

"You're a member of this family, Soren. You always were, and always will be." Elincia muttered. "You know, I always wondered why boss really cared about you. Now, I know why. You are a good guy. Yeah, you were a jerk, but we all have bad days. Yours just happened to be prolonged. As her majesty stated, you've always been a brother." Mia chimed in. Everyone around Soren nodded at her statement and smiled.

"You give yourself too little credit, Soren. You carried that Mend staff for a reason. Some of us had wounds that you patched up. Don't be too hasty in forgetting your own good deeds. You've saved our lives countless times as well. You are our best sage. You alone took out more than 60 enemy troops. Don't tell us that you've never contributed. Don't tell us that you've never paid your debts. I daresay that for some of us, you've paid off all of your debts many times over." Rhys smiled.

"You know, Soren, I once feared that you'd blast me with a wind spell or two, but you never did. I feared that you'd consider me as a cruel empress who drills her troops hard, but you never complained. In the marches to Daein and Crimea, you did cover me, you saved my life in your little crusade to take down enemy archers. If it wasn't for your little strategies, I'd have been bait for those ballistas and catapults. You surely have saved me, many times over. Don't tell me that you're thankless! That is truly a lie." Tanith nodded.

"Soren, my brother always looked up to you, and you might be surprised, but so do I. Yeah, you were mean, but you always did things for the good of us all. You say that you never cared about us, but Tanith is right: It's a lie. You were always there, smacking the enemy with your spells. If it weren't for you, how would we be able to pry ourselves free from enemy attacks? Your strategies saved us so many times. You say that you were nothing but a jerk. That's wrong, you are one of the most important siblings we have. Don't forget that." Mist spoke.

"Soren, you are the brother I never got close to, but, as Tanith put it, you've saved me many times over. Mist is right in that you are extroverted. You are pretty rough in your delivery, but you do care about all of us. You are our savior, the brain behind the brawn. Lethe is extremely lucky to have you. I may be her dear friend, but I am nothing in comparison to you." Jill added.

"As an afterthought, for the many times you expressed your contempt at my cooking, I originally was quite offended, but that was especially childish. You are family, and any little dislike you might show is part of your entitlement. You've done more work than many of us combined. Don't belittle yourself!" Oscar said.

They all chuckled: "And we're not stupid, Soren. We do thank you for finally opening up, but those words were mostly unnecessary. You are a part of this family, and you showed your gratitude in so many ways. And yes, we will help you save Lethe."

"I'm surprised you have such a deep feeling for her, but you can be sure that I'll be there, Soren. As long as we still breathe, we will fight to save her, Soren, you can trust us. All of us." Ike spoke in the end.

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	6. Retribution

Chapter 5: Retribution

"Here's the plan. We will help Soren rescue Lethe from Ranulf and Shinon. Afterwards, we will not return to Crimea but instead patrol the region in order to find any outposts of the Daein Liberation Front, the army Haar controls. If we succeed in finding them, I'm certain that there are several friends in their ranks that we can speak to. Once we gain the support of the DLF, we can use their personnel to gain support among the people. If we succeed in our mission, Crimea will be recognized as a friend of Daein, and the Daein Revolutionary Army will be compromised." Jill spoke.

"I think we can all agree on that. Not to worry, Jill. Haar will not die, Daein shall not fall, Begnion shall be destroyed! Everyone, move out!" Soren cried.

The Crimean Royal Guard (CRG), led by Generals Ike and Tanith, marched forward to engage the Crimean renegades and Daein battalion led by Ranulf (Tonerk), DRA Lieutenant Shinon (a former Crimean Sniper), and the traitor General Geoffrey.

"My brother... Why would he turn on us?" Lucia moaned as the Crimean Royal Guard marched on.

"Who can we trust now? Geoffrey was one of our most trusted officers..." Ike muttered.

"GEOFFREY! THAT SCUM! I SHALL WRING HIS NECK, FOR CRIMEA..." Kieran yelled. He turned to Jill: "AND, ER... DAEIN!" Jill sighed with annoyance.

"Well, you've got to give it to him, Jill, he had the guts to sum our feelings up for us." Titania embarrassingly smiled.

As our heroes neared Shinon's encampment, Tonerk and Geoffrey were relaxing in a tent. "Ah, Geoffrey, soon you will be able to slay Ike, and I, Soren. Our passions shall be fulfilled." Tonerk laughed.

"Ranulf, Geoffrey, I've got some bad news." Shinon spoke from the outside. The two addressed officers emerged from the tent.

"You see them? That's Jill, with her green wyvern. The black robe there is Soren, and the turquoise-robed, blue-haired idiot is Ike. Apparently, the three of them have gathered an army to save Lethe. Based on their speed, we'll never be able to rendevous with The Black Knight or any of the Daein Revolutionary Army's bases in this area. Pity! There's one only 12 miles from here... If only we escaped earlier..." Shinon muttered.

"Their army does not seem to be as large as we anticipated. If we were to strike them without warning, they'd be stunned, and that would delay their counterattack. We'd be able to do significant damage. By the time they gained their senses and countered, we'd already be having the upper hand." Tonerk spoke.

"But I couldn't bear killing Lucia... The only man I hate in their army is Ike..." Geoffrey muttered.

"Does your loyalty lie with Crimea, or with Daein, Geoffrey?" Shinon glared at him.

Geoffrey was quite stunned as his reaction: "With Daein, of course!... With the DRA Army to be exact." Geoffrey stammered in response.

"Good. Now, I wouldn't like killing Lucia either. After all, as my former comrade Gatrie put it: 'Beautiful women shouldn't be killed.' But that whelp Ike killed Petrine. And to avenge her, either Lucia or Elincia has to die. I know you like Elincia, so who do you wish to choose? Your sister, or the woman you want to bed at night?" Shinon asked with a sneer.

"I... Choose... Elincia..." Geoffrey turned his head and muttered, unwilling to look Shinon in the eyes.

"Good, now get going. Ranulf, your advice was prudent. We're going to strike them head on. All units, ATTACK!" Shinon bellowed.

"Did you hear that? Shinon detected us. We shouldn't have marched so slowly. Everyone! Prepare yourselves!" Soren called.

Our heroes immediately stepped into formation. Shinon, Geoffrey, Tonerk, and several troops charged into view.

"Look! In the distance. It's a cage, with Lethe inside, no less!" Rhys spoke.

"Lethe? Growl! Those Beorc do not give Lethe the honor she deserves. To keep her in a cage? How... Undignified!" Mordecai growled.

"Here, Mordecai, take this Demi Band. Muarim gave it to me as a present, and I think you should use it. It'll keep you in your tiger state." Ike spoke.

"I trust you, and Muarim. This shall be put to good use." Mordecai replied. He immediately morphed into laguz form, and rushed to engage the enemy.

The battle was harsh indeed. Several of the mounted calvary of the CRG were taken down by enemy Snipers and Paladins.

"There are so many of them... Shinon truly gathered a powerful army to oppose us." Ike muttered.

"If I see Shinon, I'll... Have to kill him... I'm sorry, Ike, but Shinon was my... Dear friend..." Rolf whimpered.

"Rolf, this Shinon is nothing compared to the Shinon we both knew. I'm sure of it. Stay close to me, or I might lose you. I don't think he'll hesitate to take your life." Oscar spoke.

In the midst of the battle, Soren watched in horror as a large band of Crimean Halberdiers were cut down by a giant blue cat. "Ranulf!" He shouted.

Tonerk smiled: "Soren... Now we meet face to face. It is time for me to have you for a meal." He pounced.

"Roar!" Mordecai growled, and rammed his body into Tonerk's.

"You will not hurt Soren!" He snarled.

"You are wrong. I will kill you first, then Soren shall be my prey." Tonerk laughed.

With a swipe of his paw, he smacked Mordecai in the face. Mordecai howled, his jaw snapped from the blow.

"How... How could you be this powerful?" Soren gasped as he stepped toward Tonerk.

"With Mordecai out of the way, you shall finally be my prey!" Tonerk purred.

At that moment, the rest of the veterans (Ike's old companions) in the Crimean Royal Guard arrived and formed a defensive perimeter around Soren.

"You are NOT going to hurt Soren, you hear me, traitor? We're right here for him! You'll have to get through all of us!" Marcia yelled.

At this moment, Shinon and Geoffrey also arrived and stood near Tonerk. "Ranulf, we're also here. It looks like everyone's grouped in this area... Nice to see you, Lucia, sister..." Geoffrey called.

"I have no brother." Lucia snarled.

"Oh, family instability! Are you sure that you want to stay with us, Geoffrey?" Tonerk taunted. Geoffrey could only hang his head.

"You there, great beorc warriors! You stand before me, Ranulf, one of the most powerful laguz in the world! I'm quite flattered that you traveled so far to face me! This tiger here, Mordecai, was pathetic. I think he insults your great strength by traveling with you. Regardless, I am here to tell you the truth about that little Sage among you.

"This sage, Soren, may appear like any other beorc, but he represents something else. He is the product of a terrible crime, the crime of crossbreeding. He is a PARENTLESS, A HALF-BREED, A BRANDED, A MISTAKE... He represents the sins of a beorc and a laguz. His very existence insults the will of the Goddess! Both races, Beorc and Laguz, shun these beings of filth, for they are impure, and are made in error. Let us fix this problem, and reform the purity of our races..." Tonerk shouted.

All present stared at Soren. "I... I knew it... All these years of suffering were bound to resurface. Yes, yes I am a Branded! But your continuation of this prejudice proves to me that you are no better than those racists who despised Laguz! Yes, I AM A MISTAKE! But have I not proven my worth to you? Don't all of you acknowledge my goodwill? Aren't I a member of the family? But no, my secret is let out. I am a Branded, so all the things I did for you are in vain. Fine, Ranulf, fine. If you wish for purity, then take this life of mine. I suffered dearly in the past, and that suffering continues into the present. Please, just take me now..." Soren moaned and closed his eyes.

"That mark... I... A Parentless? That explains it..." Lethe muttered from her cage. Soren was about to collapse in rage and sorrow, when he felt something warm press against his body. Soren opened his eyes, and found Mia huddled against him, along with the others forming a tight semicircle around him.

"I know what you're thinking. Don't..." Mia glared at him. Soren's eyes wandered to Titania, who stepped forward towards Tonerk.

"So what, Ranulf, so what? Yes, I've heard stories of the Branded. The Beorc refuse to acknowledge them into their society, and the Laguz deny their relationship outright, calling them 'Parentless.' Yes, the Branded are spawn from the blood of Beorc and Laguz, but what is your purpose of revealing Soren's birth? Regardless if he is a Laguz, or a Beorc, or a Branded, Soren has been one of the most important comrades in our army. He has stood beside us for so long that we consider him family. In this situation, any truths you may reveal will not force us to turn our backs on him. Soren is my son. He is a brother to Ike and to all the others standing here before you. You have no right to impose any more suffering on this man. By doing so, you have revealed how tainted you character has become. And, in the pursuit of purity, it is not Soren who must die, but you." With that, Titania readied her Laguz Axe.

"We will not allow you to fulfill your quest of purity, Ranulf! Soren shall not die today!" They all cried, standing their ground, but Soren gently brushed them off.

"Everyone, I must thank you for your support. But it's my fault that all of you have gotten into this. It is my duty to save Lethe, and the rest of you need not bring harm to yourselves to help me." Soren replied. For the first time ever, Titania could actually see a look of genuine joy in his eyes.

"No, of course we have to risk ourselves for Lethe, Soren. She's our sister too, you know." Jill shot back.

"Then let me rephrase. The fight between me and Ranulf does not have to involve any of you. It's only between the two of us. Please step back and let me face him alone." Soren replied. Jill, Ike, and Titania exchanged worried glances, along with the others, but they all respected his decision and stepped back.

"Shinon, Geoffrey, would you both mind ordering your troops to stay back for a distance? Let me handle the Half-Breed myself." Ranulf shouted. Shinon and Geoffrey obeyed and left Ranulf alone. The two enemies cautiously approached each other.

"Now, Ranulf, you wanted to fulfill your desire. Well, now's your chance. If you win... Then Lethe shall be yours. If I win, then she shall be freed. Understood?" Soren spoke.

"Fine, but I shall be overjoyed while tearing your flesh with my claws!" Ranulf laughed as he pounced.

"Tornado!" Soren yelled. Ranulf was caught in the tempest, but recovered and struck Soren. Soren readied another spell: "Elthunder!" Ranulf was electrified, but quickly recovered and slashed Soren several times on the chest.

Before Soren could retaliate, Ranulf quickly drew his claws and wildly slashed Soren on his face and back. Soren howled in pain as streaks of blood were flowing down his back.

"Soren!" Lethe screamed.

Soren heard her, but slowly began to smile. "Ranulf, after all that time I fought the Daein armies, do you honestly believe that I can die so easily? No, I must show you my ultimate tome." With that, Soren pulled out a book from his coat. There were gold letters etched into the cover and binding, they read: "_Smack_."

"Smack? Is this some kind of joke? Are you insulting the great..." Ranulf's words were cut off by a violent gust of wind: "SMACK!" The noise echoed throughout the battlefield.

Soren held _Smack_ high in the air. "Now, don't you feel humiliated?" He taunted.

Ranulf staggered toward Soren. "You've... Insulted me... You forged a tome and gave it such a humiliating name. Any warriors who you killed with _Smack_ have had their honor taken from them." He panted.

"Trust me, anyone who is truly honorable would not be finished with _Smack_. People like the honorable General Shiharam Fizzart of Daein were attacked by _Elwind_,_ Elthunder_, and _Tornado_, not _Smack_. _Smack_ is only reserved for powerful and greedy brutes such as yourself and Bishop Oliver. Goodbye, old traitor." Soren panted as he raised _Smack_ one last time.

Shinon and Geoffrey turned their eyes as Tonerk breathed his last. "So, now that Ranulf is gone, you've won, Soren. Release the sub-human!" Shinon ordered.

Lethe's cage was opened and she collapsed, completely exhausted, on the ground. "Lethe!" Soren ran to her. "What did they do to you?" Jill and the others immediately arrived.

"Jill, take care of Lethe. Ike and I will hold off Shinon and Geoffrey." Soren told her.

"Are you sure of this? We can still provide you with cover." Tanith spoke.

"I'm certain. Now go, and don't worry about us." Soren replied.

Tanith, Jill, and the others immediately ordered a retreat. Rhys attempted to heal Mordecai, and with his wounds slightly recovered, Mordecai was able to help escort the others to safety. Ike and Soren, meanwhile, stood before Shinon and Geoffrey. "You take them first, Shinon. You hate them both, while I personally have nothing against Soren, even if he's a Branded." Geoffrey spoke.

"Fine. I'll kill Soren, and Ike, and you'll get nothing." Shinon replied.

"If Ike dies, then at least I get the satisfaction that Elincia has been avenged." Geoffrey replied.

"Truly, truly, you are an idealistic IDIOT! You valiantly fight for Elincia. She doesn't love you! She'll never care for you. Even when you or I kill Ike (in which it is almost certain to be me), she won't lay with you at night. Don't you realize this?" Shinon glared.

"Of course I do, but it better that I fight in her name than in my own." Geoffrey sighed.

"Are you implying something?" Shinon glanced at him with raised eyebrows.

"No, no, carry on." Geoffrey waved at him.

Shinon stepped towards Ike and Soren. "Ike, it's time. Watch yourself!" He smiled as he raised his bow.

Soren stepped towards him, "Ike, it's a Critical!" He yelled.

But it was too late; the arrow pierced Ike's shoulder. "Ugh... Take this!" Ike charged and struck Shinon with Ragnell, but failed to activate Aether.

Shinon laughed and stepped back. "That wasn't too bad!" He threw an arrow into the air, lept high enough to snatch it, aimed at Ike from an angle, and fired!

"Deadeye..." Soren muttered in stunned awe. Ike fell upon the ground.

"Sleep, my darling... Now, where is that judgmental dastard?" Shinon asked. He looked before him, but Soren wasn't there. "Tornado!" He heard a voice cry from his left. Before Shinon could fire another arrow, he was hit by a swirling cyclone. As Shinon began flying in the air, he heard another cry: "Elthunder!" A second spell was activated, and Shinon found himself electrified. Shinon finally landed on the ground. "Do I suffer the same end as Ranulf? I think not!" Shinon shouted. He turned and fired.

"Ahh!" Soren yelled as he was hit.

"Pity you have so little defense. Out of all the sages I've fought, including the ones that used Meteor, you are the only one that has injured me to some degree. You are a relatively worthy opponent, but I shall kill you." Shinon taunted as he fired another arrow. However, the arrow missed.

"Huh? He's escaped again! Curses, it's started to rain... Rain? No!" Shinon began to panic.

"ELTHUNDER!" Soren screamed. This time, the spell did extensive damage. And 'Adept' activated, doubling the pain.

"I admit, Soren, that you are worthy prey. You just refuse to die. But, you are still prey, and I'll kill you soon enough." Shinon taunted.

Shinon began firing four arrows at once, three of which were able to hit Soren. "You will not win this battle, Shinon! SMACK!" Soren yelled, clutching his side. Soren moved his hands before his eyes, and created a furious gust of wind, stronger than ever. This windstorm tore at Shinon's face, making it difficult for him to concentrate.

"A critical? Well, I have the perfect rebuttal!" Shinon laughed. He threw an arrow and lept into the air again.

"No... This is the end... Lethe, I did my best." Soren watched hopelessly as Deadeye activated once again.

But at that moment, when Shinon was in midair, both men saw a blue flash, and a sword fall before Shinon.

"What the-?" Shinon gasped as Ike grabbed the sword and charged at Shinon. "The power of Aether... It killed Ashnard, and now, damn it!... I die... Pathetic!" Shinon sighed as he was hit. Ike landed on the ground, slightly healed, while Shinon plummeted to the earth, never to rise again.

Is Shinon completely evil? Read the chapter carefully.

I thank all of you who reviewed! I really appreciate it!

As always, read and review.


	7. Friends?

Bah, I had to add this chapter. Couldn't leave you guys hanging... I don't know, I just don't like seeing Geoffrey insulted for too long...

He might be crazy when someone mentions Elincia, but he's not evil or anything. (At least, I hope people don't think that he is.)

Also, before we begin, I must inform you about 'Smack.' I hope you all enjoyed it. As I am a gamer who likes randomness once in a while, I forge this Tome in every battle. It has proven to be stronger than Tornado, which is why I had to introduce it in this story... Expect more people to be trounced by 'Smack!'

Chapter 6: Friends?

Ike drank the elixir Nasir gave him, handing another to Soren. "Take this and go tell the others that I am engaging Geoffrey. Somehow, I feel as though he won't try to kill you or the others." Ike spoke.

"Ok, I'm going. Good luck!" Soren turned and ran toward the rest of the CRG but he soon saw them coming towards them. "What?" Soren was quite surprised.

Tanith was the first to greet him: "Soren! We saw the two of you kill Shinon. We're going to help you deal with this traitor."

"If you call me a traitor, and call in reinforcements, then let me call in mine. Men! Destroy him!" Geoffrey yelled. None of them moved.

"What? I said, destroy them!" Geoffrey shouted again.

They ignored his orders: "We are soldiers under Lieutenant Shinon's command. Now that he is dead, we have no need to follow your orders. You are a former General of Crimea, but that means nothing to the proud soldiers of the Daein Revolutionary Army. Because you are Lt. Shinon's honored guest, and the commander has just been killed, we are willing to not attack you, but do not expect us to follow your orders." They replied.

At this moment, Jill spoke: "This is Jill, Duchess of Daein! Defeated Daein warriors, your commander, Lt. Shinon, has died. You find yourself outnumbered and outgunned by a superior army. As Duchess of the Daein Liberation Front, I offer you this ultimatum: Surrender yourselves to the Daein Liberation Front and help me revive our glorious nation, or insist on fighting me to the bitter end and die painfully from the blades of the Crimean Royal Guard. Which do you choose?" Jill called.

The soldiers looked at each other, "Very well, we shall join!" A half of them called.

"No! We shall not!" The other half shouted.

"C'mon!" A Sergeant of the surrendering half shouted. "They've got... Jill... And she's hot!"

"Very well!" Three quarters of the former 'loyal' half spoke. Thus, 87.5 of Shinon's former unit joined the DLF.

Amazingly, they quickly changed their uniforms to the official ones of the Daein Liberation Front.

"... If Haar sees this, he'd kill you all." Jill groaned to herself. The remaining of troops were quickly routed and fled to the nearby DRA base.

Now, Geoffrey found himself quite alone. "I challenge Ike to a solo duel: One On One! It's only fair that way!" He cried.

"Very well, we are a just band of soldiers, aren't we? Let's back off... And let them fight... No, we can't. No... I don't know anymore! I'm just a dirty sinner!" Rhys began to wail: "Oh! Ever since I killed that Swordmaster in self-defense, I haven't been able to forgive myself!" Rhys sighed.

"Oh, keep it together. Whatever you do, you're my hero." Mia smiled.

"Could you two PLEASE get a room?" Boyd groaned.

Lethe looked at Ike and Geoffrey uneasily. "Soren, I don't understand how you can sit there and bear it. Ike's going to get pummeled! Geoffrey's Lance has the upper hand against Swords!"

"Don't worry, Lethe. He'll be fine. He's dealt with these kinds of things before. He's slain at least 30 enemy Soldiers, all with lances. Don't you worry about him." Soren reassured her.

"Hyaah!" Geoffrey rushed at Ike. The duel lasted for two hours, with both warriors bashing each other. Geoffrey, on a horse, taunted Ike with his bow.

Ike, in retaliation, sheathed Ragnell, drew a Longsword, and gave Geoffrey a sound wacking. Geoffrey yelped and counter attacked with his Brave Lance. Both had Sol and Aether activate, keeping them healthy for a short while.

As this drawn out battle finally came to a close, Geoffrey charged at Ike: "For Elincia! You have abused her love for so long. I love her, yet she is so intent on bearing your child. You do not love her, and instead you toy with her emotions. You must enjoy having her, a Queen, chasing after you and attempting to seduce you. It arouses you, doesn't it, but not enough for you to father her children and protect her. You are sick... You are such an evil man... Heartless... No! I love Elincia! I deserve her as a wife! You make me sick with your games! YAAAHHHHH!" Geoffrey swung his lance.

Ike, however, shouted back: "WAIT, VIOLENT FOOL!"

Geoffrey was quite stunned. "What?"

"Geoffrey, if you love her so much, you can have her! Man, I hate it when she chases after me like that. I... Have other interests." Ike spoke as he glanced at Tanith.

Geoffrey looked shocked, but his face soon went from an angry bright red snarl to a merry, rosy smile. "Ah, I see. Interesting taste... But why do you torture Elincia so? She yearns for you, and is hurt when you ignore her." Geoffrey spoke.

"So is this what it is? You're fighting for that girl. Heck, you could have just told me! But you're one of those gallant knights, go figure." Ike rolled his eyes.

"What? I assumed that you were mocking her." Geoffrey replied.

"Mocking her? Well, then that would be cruel. No, I just wanted to give her the message that I didn't like her fawning at me." Ike spoke.

"Well, then, why don't you tell her outright? Instead of torturing her?" Geoffrey demanded.

"And get executed? No way! I'll just follow my heart and she'll go away in her own free will." Ike spoke nonchalantly.

Geoffrey dismounted and bowed. "Then I have misjudged you. You found her annoying, but you had no intention of hurting her so. Then let me advise you to hurry and claim the woman you love, for Oscar or Bastian may have their eyes and lustful nature wander over her, and you will lose her. Secondly, I would like you to inform Elincia, without hurting her, that you do not share her feelings."

"Ridiculous... Anything I say would break her heart. But, whatever, it's a done deal." Ike shook Geoffrey's hand, and Geoffrey regained his rank as General of the CRG.

"That... Was fast... Maybe I shouldn't have disowned him so readily." Lucia muttered.

"So, Geoffrey is one of us again. That was quick. You remind me of Gatrie, who simply joined us from Beningon just because some girl convinced him to. In your case, it's some guy. Is there something you'd like to tell us?" Boyd spoke.

"You may feel so secure with that Axe, but even if you have the battle advantage, I can still throw my spear and run!" Geoffrey shouted as he hurled a Javelin at Boyd.

"Urg... You'll pay for that!" Boyd raised his Silver Axe and chased Geoffrey.

"Boys, they never learn." Lucia rolled her eyes.

Boyd... To tell the truth, I never really liked him...

But you can tell, can't ya?

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	8. Unexpected Aid

This thing has only been up a week, (or five days), but already has 4 reviews, more than 525 hits, and two favorites.

I am honored to have entertained all of you.

Now, as a miniture anniversary, I shall submit three of my prewritten chapters simultaneously! Mwahahaha!

Chapter 7: Unexpected Aid

"Well, now that Geoffrey has returned to us, we should march on to the next DLF checkpoint. Oh, Haar, we will find you soon..." Jill clasped her hands and looked at the sky.

"Then let us hurry. I smell iron weapons closing in on our position." Lethe growled.

"Those Daein troops sure can run fast... Like me when I see a pretty lady!" Gatrie laughed.

"ELTHUNDER!" Ilyana roared.

Soren sighed: "At this rate, we'll never get anywhere..."

"Crimean and renegade Daein troops, this is Gen. Scifforf of the Daein Revolutionary Army. Surrender immediately, or we shall butcher every last one of you!" A Paladin shouted at them. Several Warriors and Berserkers appeared, all with giant axes.

"Well, Ike, Mia, you two will have to work extra hard this time... All Lance wielders, stay back... We will have to fight a powerful enemy who has a high chance of defeating us, so stay sharp!" Soren ordered.

As Ike, Mia, Lucia, Titania, Kieran, Boyd, Lethe, Soren, Mordecai, Tanith, and Ilyana ran about with their swords and axes, the others remained in the rear, quite uneasy and unwilling to let them go. "Ilyana, Mia, Titania, Boyd, Lucia, the five of you will attack the left flank. The rest of us will strike our foes on the right flank. Hopefully, if we take down enough troops, the enemy will be disheartened and retreat." Soren advised.

Gen. Scifforf was no fool. Ilyana was nearly killed several times by Daein archers, and the others found themselves in a dire plight. "... Soren... You've made a major error. We can't possibly hold them off... We must retreat." Lethe muttered.

"I... Can't believe this... I thought this was the bulk of his force. How foolish of me! I failed to anticipate his forces... I... Have failed..." Soren hung his head.

"Don't give up, we might be able to live through this." Ike replied.

"Besides, we are the men of Crimea! And Titania is no fool! She may have concocted a strategy to save us! Soren, you are a wise man, but you are young. Titania is older than you, and with age comes experience. Do not assume that we've been beaten yet!" Kieran spoke.

"... Typical... They use the pincer attack, and because the units that did not charge at us are strong enough to hold their ground, they assume that we won't be able to kill any of them. But they are so wrong! They will die soon! All units, atta... WHAT?!" Scifforf stared at a point in the horizon. Soren glanced at that point as well, and smiled.

"GROWL! I didn't want to do this, but you Daein wimps are so cowardly! I'll take you all down!" Largo roared.

"And I'll finish you with Meteor!" Calill added.

"Largo! Calill! We're saved!" Ike called.

"Soft, what bravery through yonder barricade breaks? Tis our saviors, Largo and Calill! They say that for every evil, there is a greater good. Largo is our greater good! Calill is our benevolent savior! Daein shall be..." Bastian was cut off by Ike:

"Finished, right... Keep your head focused, Bastian. We can't depend on Largo or Calill. Guys, we've got reinforcements, but we're far from done! CHARGE!" Ike shouted.

Largo single-handedly downed several Daein units. Scifforf found his position to be quickly turning. "I should retreat... The Crimean army is gaining the upper hand. Everyone! Get out of here!" Scifforf yelled.

Rolf suddenly ran forward. "Oh, no, you don't!" He called, firing an arrow. If flew and pierced Scifforf's helmet.

"Wow... Rolf is the midget of doom..." Boyd snickered.

Scifforf's stiff corpse fell off his horse. "The General is down! Everyone, run!" A Daein Warrior cried. The panicked DRA troops fled the scene, leaving Ike victorious.

Meanwhile, in a dungeon deep in Daein territory:

"General, Tonerk is dead. Our soldiers at Bachen Fort have been routed. The Crimean Royal Guard and the Duchess of Daein will meet that small Daein Liberation Front encampment sooner or later. I won't be able to create enough Feral Ones to combat them." Izuka spoke.

"Pity, I raised Tonerk from the moment you created him. He should have been powerful enough to kill Ike and Soren. Perhaps I misjudge the power of the sub-humans." The Black Knight replied.

"Also, General, I can't seem to keep that sub-human in check. He is far too powerful. Any guards I sent in his room to pacify him were slain. He's been kept in a sealed room reinforced by the strongest iron available." Izuka added.

"I fought him once. He was quite strong. You should let me visit him." The Black Knight replied.

"Yes, General." Izuka led him to Ranulf's quarters.

Ranulf saw Izuka and The Black Knight, and laughed: "Hah, you Daeins are so pathetic. You try to create a copy of me, and they keep on dying on you. The secret's out, and Lethe knows that I'm in your custody. Did you really think you could 'recreate' the great Ranulf? There's only one Ranulf in this world, and he can never be copied or mimicked. Sooner or later, you two are going to really suffer for what you've done."

"Sub-Human! You will not speak to the General in such a matter!" Izuka shouted.

"No, he will not be threatened easily. Ranulf, Tonerk may be dead, but do not expect that Ike will be able to save you anytime soon." The Black Knight spoke.

"I don't need saving. I'll take out all your guards and flee. Just you wait..." Ranulf sneered.

"Your words are meaningless to me. Izuka, I'd recommend you move him to a more secured location and double the number of troops outside his door. I will be going to Nevassa to gather more units for our counter offensive." The Black Knight warped away.

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	9. Daein Marches

The DLF is NOT DEAD! They are suffering from some Martial difficulties. That's all.

Chapter 8: Daein Marches

Ike quickly pursued Scifforf's troops and took the fort in their control. "This is Bachen Fort. It was created to watch over the pass into Lufflaff Cavern. I've heard that the Cavern could easily be either an area to store treasure or to hide troops. Haar must be there! We should press on!" Jill began to look excited.

"Then we shall. Titania, will you be willing to hold this fort with Boyd, Ilyana, Nepheene, Largo, Lucia, Bastian, Gatrie, and Calill?" Soren asked.

"Definitely. Good luck, all of you." Titania replied. Ike, Soren, and Jill led their comrades into the cavern.

They marched ahead with several torches. Suddenly, several arrows flew at them. Rolf fired some arrows back, and a battle began! But before anyone went down, a voice shouted: "Unidentified army, this is the commanding General of the Daein Liberation Front battalion in this province. Please state your name and business here. We apologize for recklessly attacking you, but you are armed and therefore pose us a threat. Identify yourselves!"

"I am General Ike of the Crimean Royal Guard. We have Duchess Jill of the Daein Liberation Front among us." Ike replied.

"Ike? Jill? It can't be! Forgive me!" A young man came into view. "You don't recognize me? I am General Sothe of the Daein Liberation Front!" Sothe spoke.

"Sothe? A General? Aren't you a little young?" Jill asked.

"I proved myself in the Battle of Nevassa. I helped cover the DLF's retreat. Those Daein Revolutionary Army soldiers attacked with brute force, and Gen. Tauroneo was unable to develop a strategy to stop them." Sothe replied.

"Tauroneo? He's still alive?" Ike asked.

"As far as I know. However, the Daein Liberation Front has been divided. I barely have 20 soldiers with me. We haven't been able to find any other battalion, yet we stay here steadfast, waiting for your return, Jill." Sothe bowed.

The others soldiers present also bowed before Jill. "With you here, Daein will be restored!" Sothe smiled.

"Heh, reminds me of Elincia and Crimea. Jill, I'm certain that you'll be able to rescue Daein with such loyal retainers." Ike smirked.

"I'm overjoyed to see all of you. I have several DRA troops who surrendered. They should help serve as guides." Jill told Sothe.

"I wouldn't trust them if I were you... The majority of the DRA hate you. They might prove to be more harmful than good." Sothe replied.

"Oh, no! We left them in charge of the Fort!" Soren spoke.

"Bachen Fort? That is NOT good news! We're coming with you! Men, to arms! We fight for the Duchess!" Sothe shouted.

"For the Duchess!" The DLF troops replied. Our heroes marched with great haste for Bachen Fort.

"Boy, I'm worried... Titania's like a mom... If she goes down for some stupid mistake, how will we be able to forgive ourselves?" Mist muttered.

"Don't say anything like that! I'm sure we'll be fine..." Ike told her.

"Is that? It can't be... Ike, get ready for some serious business." Sothe spoke.

"Don't tell me, that's a Daein Revolutionary Army flag flying over the fort." Soren growled.

"... Yep..." Sothe spoke uneasily.

"Ok, everyone! Now is our chance for glory! We're retaking the fort! Move out!" Ike shouted.

"Um, Ike... May I propose a strategy? The allies we left at the fort are all veterans of battle, right? If we use Marcia, Tanith, or Jill, as flying units, to infiltrate the fort and find them, they could cause trouble for the inside. That would make it difficult for the enemies to concentrate their forces, and we'd be able to defeat them. At the very least, it could serve as a distraction that would hinder their attack." Oscar spoke.

"Very well, Tanith, Marcia, Jill, I'm counting on you!" Ike spoke.

"Don't worry Ike, we won't let you down." Tanith nodded.

"Milady, be careful!" Sothe told Jill.

"You can be certain that I will be victorious... They've abused Daein for too long!" Jill nodded.

Ike, Oscar, Sothe, and Soren led the offensive, ramming into the enemy lines and taking down several soldiers. "Wait, I see Boyd, Largo, and Ilyana. They seem to be fighting at the western gate of the fort!" Oscar spoke.

"Could that be the case? Our forces hold parts of the fort... Well, then Tanith and the others can spark trouble!" Ike smirked.

"Lucia, I will not let you down! I shall find you! None of these ruffians can stop me!" Geoffrey roared.

The DRA army, full of fear, began a massive retreat. Ike's CRG and their DLF escorts entered Bachen Fort, where Jill, Tanith, Marcia, Titania, and the others greeted them. "We have no casualties, but everyone's been spooked. Boyd, Largo, and Ilyana were patrolling the west gate, so they were cut off from the rest of us. Gatrie was the main warrior who held off the enemy. We hid in one of the armories. Ike, we have to be prepared for anything like this." Titania told him.

"Right, Sothe has advised me never to let any DRA soldier join us again." Ike replied.

"Yes, Titania, long time no see. I am a General of the Daein Liberation Front. We are overjoyed to see that people like you are willing to help us. We have to free Daein from the control of the Daein Revolutionary Army, the people you've been fighting this whole time. Duke Haar, General Tauroneo, and several other Daein heroes make up our army, but I have no idea what has happened to the rest of the DLF. All I know is that my men and I are members of this army, and we will fight until Ashera decides that our lives should end. So long as we draw breath, we will never allow Daein to be ruled by tyranny!" Sothe spoke.

"But the problem is, how is there any way we can differentiate between the DLF and the DRA? Both of you wear black armor, and both of you have emblems too small to be seen from a distance. Earlier, for example, how were you able to tell what flag that was?" Soren asked.

"It's easy. The DRA portrays an iron fist clenching a sword. The DLF portrays a wyvern. We weren't meant to be some violent organization who loves killing and power. The DLF was created simply to help Daeins cope with their ruined lives. We fight not to conquer, but to defend. The wyvern, which is a animal native to Tellius and who lives primarily in Daein, has lived in Daein for so long that it is considered our national animal. The wyvern is also a strong animal that cannot be easily killed. We of the DLF are like wyverns, loyal and (mostly) native to Daein, yet strong and able to fight when we have to. Just look closely at the smudge on the flags of the DLF and DRA. Depending on the picture, you can tell which army those troops are." Sothe replied.

"Alright. Well, we're going to have to hold this Fort. Sothe, could you come with us, and leave your soldiers here? Nepheene, Mordecai, Calill, Bastian, Lucia, Largo, if you don't mind, I'd have to leave you six here." Ike spoke.

"Very well, Ike... But we're practically not going to do anything... It's a pity we had to sell the shop to get here." Largo muttered.

"YOU DID WHAT?!" Ike was shocked.

"... Yes..." Calill looked at the ground. "

Well, please, just hold this Fort. We'll be back." Ike calmed himself.

"See you." Nepheene nodded.

"Lethe, take the Demi Band, it will keep you strong against those Daein soldiers." After Lethe took the band from Mordecai, our heroes marched on toward the next Daein province.

Meanwhile, in a prison slightly east of Nevassa:

"Ahhh! Nooo!" Ranulf heard screams and shouts from outside his quarters.

"What's going on?" He thought. Soon, he saw someone slash his door down.

"Zihark?!" Ranulf was shocked.

"Hold still." Zihark replied. He cut the ropes binding Ranulf.

"Ranulf, we have to flee. They kept Nasir here as a prisoner too. Come with me. The three of us can hold out much longer than only one of us." Zihark spoke.

"Very well, let's go..." Ranulf agreed. The two of them emerged from the prison, where Nasir was waiting for them.

"It's good to see you, Ranulf." Nasir smiled.

"Same to you, and there are many things I'd like to ask you, but now's not the time. Zihark, do you know of any safe havens here?" Ranulf asked.

"I know of a campsite in the forest around here (I used it to reach you), but it might be easily found by Daein troops if we build a fire. It might be best if we simply hide in the woods... We'll have to pick berries if we want to avoid the Daein army discovering us." Zihark spoke.

"Berries? But I'm a cat! I eat meat! Oh, well... So long as we can survive, I won't complain." Ranulf sighed. The three of them slipped into the undergrowth.

Cakil appears next chapter!

Read and Review!


	10. Saving Talegra

Cakil finally appears in this chapter!

Chapter 9: Saving Talegra

The CRG and DLF marched side by side through the nation of Daein. However, in doing so, the already ruined nation suffered even further. Young men, surely talented and strong enough to rebuild the nation, stood beside the Daein Revolutionary Army, unwittingly destroying all that was accomplished. Shortly after the Battle of Bachen Fort, Sothe and Ike observed that Palmeni Temple had been destroyed. Apparently, the DRA ransacked the place in search of treasure. Worried that the loss of important regional figures such as Bishop Tomenami would dishearten the wretched populace of Daein even further, Jill ordered Sothe to attempt to aid the peoples of the area. But whatever aid that the CRG attempted to give, the people would refuse, citing that it was because Crimea destroyed Daein that the Daein Revolutionary Army was given enough power to cause even more havoc. Once again, the people of Daein could not forgive Crimea for its crimes, even though many Daeins knew of Ashnard's sins.

Marching along, the army finally reached the border of Talegra province.

"Now we've reached my hometown... Oh, I shudder when I think of what may have happened." Jill groaned as she looked around.

"Milady, please remain calm, my men and I will do what we can to provide assistance to the people." Sothe tried to calm her.

"It's no use... What can we do if no one is willing to take what we will give? All we can do is press on. If we can kill those filthy... beorc who did this, then all the pains these people have experienced can be remedied." Lethe lightly hissed.

Meanwhile, only fifteen miles from Ike's position, General Cakil stood on the battlements of Fort Nuchen. Standing beside him was Minister Jorhasten, formerly Minister of Finance in the court of Duke Haar. "Look at this! Talegra is in ruins! And all the men of the Daein Liberation Front can do is sit and stare! We must attack those filthy traitors!" Cakil growled.

"General, be sensible. We've sheltered as many families as we could into this Fort, and we have local Bishops who are caring for the wounded. As for troops, there are fewer than 40 of us here. How can we possibly hope to fight the DRA?" Jorhasten spoke.

"You speak the truth, but still, I cannot sit by and watch those who failed to reach us suffer further. We must slay these traitors!" The General spoke.

"Enemy units have been sighted!" The watchmen yelled.

"Wait... It couldn't be! Good man, how many do you see?" Cakil called.

"Between 60 to 80 enemy soldiers. They've seized several ballistas, and I see a large band of calvary units approaching." The watchman replied.

"Thank Ashera we had the prudence to build that watchtower. We cannot send everyone to fight them. Gather as many men as you can and fortify our inner defenses, Minister, while I will take our 15 veterans and create a defensive blockade." General Cakil ordered.

"May Ashera protect us all." Jorhasten muttered.

"This mud is a pain, but at least all it can do is slow us down. Those idiots will die soon enough. The DRA is winning this war, and all of Daein is virtually ours. All units, are you ready to die for the honor of Daein? Once Daein is completely unified, we can wipe out the Crimeans, the Gallian Sub-Humans, and the traitorous Half-Beasts of Kilvas. Lord Izuka has provided us with plenty of Feral Ones to rip our enemies apart. They will be unable to stand before us!" General William of the DRA laughed.

"Sir, I see several banners heading toward us from the west! They seem to carry the Crimean insignia!" A soldier spoke.

"Wait, could that be the Crimean army that is escorting the Duchess? Perfect! If we deliver her to The Black Knight, we shall be rewarded quite well. Be sure to intercept them, men, and kill them all... Only Jill shall remain alive!" William cackled.

"Father Tomenami? No, you should not risk your life..." Cakil spoke as the Bishop emerged from the fort with several of his brothers.

"General, it is only proper that we repay our debts to you. When the DRA attacked our temple, you rescued us and gladly took us in. We may have cared for several soldiers, but that is nothing compared to saving our lives. No, we will stand by you in the front lines. The enemy is powerful, and they outnumber us three to one. For the good of the people of Talegra, I must aid you in crushing their advance here." Tomenami replied.

"In that case, I am overjoyed to have you. Men, the possibility of reinforcements arriving is practically zero. We have no information whatsoever of the whereabouts of Duke Haar. The Duchess is safe in Crimea, and though I loathe the idea of her standing by them, I believe that they will not dare to harm her. We are alone, and if we die, few will remember us, but we die with honor! We die defending Talegra from the traitors in our midst! We will die as martyrs, as heroes! I would rather be pierced by a thousand arrows than stand beside Izuka, The Black Knight, and all of their mad schemes. My honorable warriors, stand beside me... For Talegra!" Cakil shouted.

"FOR TALEGRA!" His soldiers cheered. They stood strong before the onslaught of enemy troops.

"Looks like Fort Nuchen has only recently been under siege. That is surprisingly good news. Fort Nuchen was the strongest DLF fort in this area, and it looks like it's the only one left, but with it still under DLF control, it means that we will find powerful allies there. Ike, it would be more than enough to convince the rest of the DLF (besides Haar and Tauroneo) to join you Crimeans if you rescue this particular fort." Sothe spoke.

"Then we'll do it. Jill, stay back, if you are hurt all we have accomplished would be in vain. The rest of you, move out!" Ike shouted.

General William ordered his less-trained troops to hold off the Crimeans while he and 30 of his best warriors engaged General Cakil and his small band of defenders. As the two Generals fought, Ike found it not difficult to wipe out the attacking army. Tanith quickly had him saddle onto her Pegasus, and the two of them quickly arrived near the besieged blockade.

Cakil finally bested William, and the latter died falling off his horse. The remaining DLF troops defeated their attackers, and immediately noticed Ike's presence. "The Crimeans are here. All units, prepare to face an even greater foe." Cakil raised his lance.

Ike put down his sword and stepped forward. "General, we are not your enemy. I am General Ike of the Crimean Royal Guard. We are here to aid you." Ike spoke.

"Aid us? Hah! You are lying! Since when have you ever 'aided' Daein?! You've ruined Daein! Look at this, look at the damage done to Talegra! General Shiharam is dead. General Bryce is dead. All those brave warriors who fought so gallantly to protect Daein are dead. They were heroes, and you killed them." Cakil sneered.

Ike could not hold his temper: "Then what of Ashnard? Petrine? Dakova? Mackoya? Schaeffer? Do you consider them to be heroes? They were all ruffians. They were not honorable warriors by any means. Each of them insulted the good Daein people, and yet you still speak for them?!"

"True, those you speak of were in the majority of the Generals Ashnard picked. I admit that his majesty Ashnard was a cruel king to Crimea and the outside world, but that gave Crimea no right to destroy the lives of civilians of Daein. I believe that Ashnard deserved his fate in Melior, but the attack of Crimea upon the populace of Talegra and Nevassa was cruel and heartless. You might despise the right people among the Daein generals, but you have no idea how much of a ruffian YOU are!" Cakil replied.

"If you detest Crimea so, why do you adore Haar? Why do you declare loyalty to the Duchess? If the Crimeans were as terrible as you say, then why would both Jill and Haar fight alongside them, even though they saw how badly Daein had been ruined? Where is the logic of your argument? You speak from prejudice!" Ike snapped.

"True, true... Some Crimeans may prove fairly good, but the majority are heartless, for people who have some sense of compassion and humanity would not slay innocents who suffer from a war that they themselves do not support. Because Haar and Jill were able to make amends with and stand by such people, they prove their greatness. They were so forgiving when they saw how you destroyed Daein!" Cakil replied.

"Well, if Daein is so great, then there should be nothing wrong with it... But there are plenty of crimes that the Daein people commit almost daily. General, you would keep the wrongful persecution of the laguz, wouldn't you? You would keep those detestable ways of killing, wouldn't you?" Ike spoke with raised eyebrows.

"Yes... Yes... I agree that killing the laguz is cruel, but that has been the way of Daein for centuries." Cakil nodded sadly.

"Wait, you don't sound like you were born here." Ike replied.

"I was, but you must realize that not all Daeins think the same. I was born here in Talegra, in fact! But my story is different from that of the commoners. I was raised by a family who left Begnion and settled here. When my parents here heard of how the Daein people were treating the laguz, they feared the wrath of the Goddess and had me taught at home. My father was a well-known Sage, you see, and his vast library let me learn without acquiring the hatred for laguz. Of course, outside of the home I had to keep such a facade, but inside of me, I knew the truth. I learned swordsmanship and jousting from a family friend, and now, I am a General of Daein. You, young Crimean, cannot be so arrogant as to assume that you can change everything in Daein culture... Especially since the people of Daein curse your name!" General Cakil growled.

"Silence! That is not so, General!" Bishop Tomenami emerged from behind General Cakil.

"You're, you're the Bishop from Palmeni Temple!" Ike spoke.

"Yes, young General. I must thank you for coming here and aiding General Cakil. I will never forget your services against Schaeffer, nor the rescuing of every single one of our priests." Tomenami bowed.

"Father, you mean that the Crimean General here is the very General whose small band of warriors rescued you and all the other priests of the Temple from that filthy ruffian Schaeffer and his minions?" General Cakil asked.

"Yes, General, and I believe he deserves some respect for that deed. It is clear that he does not hold any quarrel with the people of Daein. The only thing Ike detests is the current government of the Daein Revolutionary Army. Am I correct, young General?" Tomenami asked.

"Yes. One of the top Generals of that force slew my father." Ike nodded.

"Wait... I saw you on the battlefield as I fought General William. Your swordsmanship resembles the style of one of Daein's former Four Riders... Gawain... The same man whom General Tauroneo holds in high esteem." Cakil spoke.

"Yes, I am Gawain's son... The Black Knight of the Daein Revolutionary Army killed my father... I have battled him in the past, but have failed to successfully kill him. Now, he ravages Daein with his mad schemes, and with Izuka helping him, the situation only grows worse." Ike replied.

"Yes, Izuka. It is ironic that he was once a Bishop in an earlier time. The way he tortures the laguz and creates Feral Ones from them... It is so horrid... The Goddess must have sent you here to punish us... Yet, you tried to aid the people of Talegra long ago, and you saved my life when I betrayed your trust. You are truly a better man than most Generals." Tomenami spoke.

"... I acted in haste, and rage. Pray forgive me, son of Gawain." Cakil sighed and bowed.

"He is not the only one whom you should ask forgiveness from..." Another voice called.

"Milady? You are alive? Ike, so you are the leader of the Crimean army who has been escorting the Duchess. Milady, forgive me for insulting your protectors." Cakil kneeled before Jill.

"Good, good, so you acknowledge your error. General Sothe, which one of you outranks the other? You, or General Cakil here?" Jill asked.

"That would be General Cakil. He was appointed by Duke Haar as governor of Talegra province." Sothe replied.

"General Sothe... Ah... I am overjoyed to see a fellow comrade." Cakil nodded.

"Same to you, sir." Sothe replied.

"Sothe, you shall hereby join Cakil's battalion. General Cakil, I would like to learn everything about your current fort and any soldiers who may be in your army." Jill spoke.

"Yes, yes, right away." General Cakil replied. They opened the gate to find Minister Jorhasten ready to fight with nearly 20 additional soldiers.

"Milady? We are overjoyed to see you!" Jorhasten bowed along with his troops.

"Yes, and it is a blessing to see you alive and well. Perhaps with you among us, Minister, we can restore Daein to glory." Jill smiled.

Now, our heroes are finally united with the faction that they came to save. (At least, a significant portion of it.) Read and Review!


	11. Pondering

Considering that I will be gone for Spring Break in a short while, I shall upload a few more chapters... Basically until I get into the heart of the story.

As I read through these chapters, I feel that they seem so choppy. I would like some feedback regarding how you readers might think about them...

But, for now, please read and review!

Chapter 10: Pondering

Jill, Ike, Tanith, Sothe, and Cakil spent the next three days resting in the Fort and reorganizing their troops. This, of course, gave everyone time to relax and think...

"How... How could it have come to this? The people of Daein... Have suffered because of the attacks from Begnion? Yes, one could blame it on the DRA, but even so, the DRA would not have had this chance had not Begnion struck again. I have been taught for years to obey the Apostle and to defend Begnion, but it seems that I must act like Jill and turn back the principles on which I was taught..." Tanith muttered. 

"Hey, Tanith." Ike began to speak. "General? Do you require my assistance?" Tanith asked. 

"Are you kidding me? We're currently on hiatus. No, I simply wanted to speak to you." Ike replied. 

"Very well." She sighed. 

"Seriously, are you alright? Ever since we left Crimea, you've always shown a moody deposition. Of course, you're a soldier, I understand that you'll be serious, but even so, I've seen many soldiers, and none of them have looked so gloomy. Are you well? What is wrong?" Ike asked.

"... I... I do not know how to say this. For years, I was taught to obey the Apostle and the imperial hierarchy. Because I was branded as a traitor, I felt that I had no right to continue breathing... I literally betrayed everything that I stood for. Yet, you... You vouched for me, and I decided that I would continue fighting... In your name. Yet, these recent events have pained me further. I see how Begnion, the nation of my birth, has aided in the ravishment of a nation torn by so many factions: by Crimea, by Begnion, and by its own people. I... Feel so ashamed that the people of Daein are suffering, and it seems as though all the support and love I had for Begnion and its nobles simply shows how... Stupid I am. Forgive me, I should not have caused any grief on your part... I must go..." Tanith stammered. 

"No. Stay. You remind me of Jill. She changed as well with similar circumstances to what you are experiencing. I guess the Apostle and her retinue of nobles were simply able to influence you better. You are a good person, and you definitely do not share that sense of superiority. Otherwise you'd be treating people like Oscar and Rhys like cattle. You've certainly become one of the most vital members of this army, and I can't afford to have you hurt in any way. Come, Tanith, lighten yourself a little! If there are people like you from Begnion, then it is clear that Begnion can be reformed. Your great nation can hold its head up high with dignity once again! I'm sure that people like you will be able to save both Daein and Begnion from this chaos. Besides, isn't that what we are fighting for: the end of the Daein Revolutionary Army and the complete destruction of those who would continue this war?" Ike replied.

"... Ike... Why do you bother helping someone like me? You have Marcia, Sothe, and Jill as aerial units, and all of them are much more lively and able to fight than I. I merely sit here and wail, without truly benefitting you in any way. I have brought so few Pegasus riders that I've turned from someone incredibly useful into a terrible liability. Yet you persistently stay here, trying to comfort me, trying to get me to hold my head up high. Why? What is your purpose? What do you want? I am a useless, traitorous, portentous fool who has betrayed both her own ideals and her people. What do you see in me that warrants such attention?" Tanith replied.

Ike held her shoulder. "Listen to me. You are not useless, nor are you a traitor. And, considering your depressed state, you certainly aren't proud. So why do I stick up for you? Because you are unique. There are few people so dedicated to their ideals like you. There are few who would fight to the bitter end for a nation that isn't even theirs. Earlier, in the Great War, I ordered you to simply defend Princess Elincia and to provide aerial cover for my troops. It was you who volunteered in the fight against the Daein positions at Fort Pinell, Castle Delbray, and Capital Melior. You are one of the most important members of this battalion, and the loss of you... Would... Be a piercing blow to all of our hearts." Ike spoke.

"General..." Tanith stared at him. 

"Ike, Tanith, Jill and General Cakil have gathered us into the meeting room. We have to plan our next moves. When the two of you are finished, please meet me there as soon as possible." Soren spoke. 

Tanith flushed while Ike spoke: "Alright, Soren. We're coming." Tanith and Ike accompanied Soren to their council.

"Alright. We have no idea where Duke Haar or General Tauroneo are located. Without either of these men, it is clear that we will not be recognized as a friendly force by the general public. This means that we will have to undergo covert operations in order to keep ourselves from being associated as conquerors. Now, Generals, I leave it to you to help decide on our next moves." Soren nodded to Sothe and Cakil.

"Well, apparently we have barely enough soldiers to defend this very Fort, let alone march out into battles in our search for the Duke. I suggest we remain here for a few days. We might want to send out a couple of us to call for reinforcements from Bachen Fort, or, even better, from the nation of Crimea itself. Queen Elincia would very likely want a report on how we've been doing, and our allies in Bachen Fort are veterans, so they would be quite useful if we were to call for their assistance." Sothe spoke. 

"In that case, Oscar, Kieran, the two of you will ride off to inform our allies at Bachen Fort of the situation. Afterwards, I hope that Oscar will return with our reinforcements from the Fort while Kieran goes to speak with Queen Elincia. Even if you don't manage to get any additional troops, I'd wish that you'd still return, Kieran. Once you've returned, we will gather all the soldiers we can spare and march deeper into Daein. We will find Haar. We shall not fail. As for now, we wait." Ike spoke. No one countered him.

The next chapter is a little chaotic...


	12. The Great Seige

Remember that particularly annoying chapter? The one where you had to clear out a huge number of enemy troops that would keep on coming? With Ilyana as a recruitable character? I believe it was Chapter eight... But...

Anyways, this chapter has a horde of enemies charging at our heroes in their little fort. (Hence, the title:)

Chapter 11: The Great Siege

For the next few days, all was calm and peaceful within Fort Nuchen. About a week after Oscar and Kieran left, Generals Tanith, Ike, and Cakil were sitting together at the morning meal. "General Cakil, I've been meaning to ask you: Where was General Shiharam buried? Jill left with us quickly to defeat Ashnard, and when she returned to Daein to bury the General, I was not there. Since she's currently not here, and I'm afraid that it is a painful subject for her, I'd like to know where he lies today." Ike spoke.

"Well, General Ike, I'm quite surprised you'd ask me this. Don't most fighting men not remember those they killed? Well, if you truly wish to pay respects to Shiharam, then I can tell you where his burial site is. When things settle down, I will even escort you to the burial grounds." Cakil nodded.

"Thanks." Ike smiled.

At that moment, a soldier ran into the room. "Generals! We're under attack! Master Soren has ordered a defensive perimeter be formed around the Fort. Generals, we must defend ourselves!" The soldier yelled.

"Again? These Daein troops are quite persistent, aren't they?" Tanith spoke. Our heroes rushed out the door onto the battlements of the Fort.

"There they are. Another 50 of them. They refuse to learn, don't they? All units, we must fight them!" Ike cried. But as Cakil, Ike, Tanith, Soren, Titania, Jill, and Sothe emerged from the fort, another 50 enemy units appeared.

"They outnumber us greatly..." Jorhasten spoke from the watchtower.

"... Yet we lack the number of soldiers to face them... Is it likely that we will win?" Soren muttered.

"We have to fight on! We can't give up now! General Ike, I request that you gather your men and prepare for battle!" Jill spoke.

"Very well. To arms, men, to arms! We fight for the good of Tellius!" Ike raised Ragnell and our heroes marched forward to battle.

However, before any blows were exchanged, another 50 enemy troops arrived. "How... How is this possible? The enemy was defeated so many times... How could they gather this many soldiers?" Titania began to panic.

"We're outnumbered five to one, but we can't give up." Ike repeated.

"Ah, I see... The enemy is confident. They have some sort of weapon that they expect will annihilate us. We're going to have to prepare ourselves." Soren spoke.

"Soren, the weapon you speak of is coming from a mile to the south. It is a large warrior, dressed completely in black armor... The Black Knight." Jorhasten spoke.

"He's here? I see... He's come to finish me. Comrades, we'll give him a sound welcome." Ike smirked.

The Crimean/Daein army emerged from the Fort and engaged the enemy. In the thick of the fight, a number of trumpets blared.

"Reinforcements are coming from the west! I see a green knight leading them... Oscar!" Jorhasten yelled. Oscar and Largo cleared the way for several allied units of the DLF to arrive along with Nepheene, Gatrie, Ilyana, and Boyd. With Oscar by his side, Ike continued annihilated more enemy soldiers... But before Ike could engage The Black Knight, another 50 enemy units arrived.

"There's another wave of warriors arriving... But wait, I see three figures coming from the East... One of them has light blue hair and is carrying a blade. Another is a blue cat, and the third is a white dragon." Jorhasten reported.

"Blue hair... Sword... Couldn't be... Zihark?" Oscar spoke.

"Zihark! He's here! With Ranulf! And... Nasir... The enemy shall be finished!" Ike snickered.

"Ranulf? You mean that the cat who kidnapped Lethe was not Ranulf? I'd better ask Lethe for the truth once this is over..." Soren muttered. Our heroes kept on fighting, when Ike ordered a retreat.

"There are too many of them... Everyone, return to the Fort! We must fortify our position!" Ike panted. As our heroes rushed back to the fort, Jorhasten gave one more report: "A green tiger, a little red boy, and a man with yellow hair have appeared and are hacking their way to our current position."

"Muriam, Tormod, and Stefan. It looks like we're being reunited thanks to this war..." Ike muttered as he entered a defensive formation with the others. Stefan and Muarim soon escorted Tormod to Ike's lines, and were gladly taken in. The siege lasted for another five hours, until Kieran arrived with a large contingent of Crimean troops, along with Lucia, Bastian, and Calill... Except that 50 more enemy soldiers appeared with them.

Thus, after another grueling three hours, when the darkness of night covered the land, the Daein soldiers were forced to retreat. Ike and his exhausted comrades re-entered the fort, while a few soldiers entered the watchtower to ensure that the enemy would not regroup and destroy them. Keeping a mental note to speak to Nasir in the morning, all Ike could do was collapse upon his cot and sleep.

As for now, please read and review!


	13. Misfits

Well, since you barely review, I hope that means that my story is great and I am merely being paranoid.

Anywho, what the heck is going on? Chapter 11 has less hits than Chapter 12. Does that mean that people have psychic powers and can read a document without looking at it? Weird...

Regardless, here's the newest chapter.

This story was originally intended to be a oneshot called "Misfits." A story focusing on the Soren/Lethe pairing. However, as I began my prewrite, I realized that it seemed to be becoming a sequel, so I figured that I'd might as well make an entire novel while I'm at it!

Chapter 12: Misfits

When daylight finally entered the windows of the Fort, our heroes could finally regain their senses and actually started chatting with each other. "Nasir! It's amazing that you are alive!" Ike greeted him.

"Yes... Ike... It seems that you do not hate me for the crime I committed." Nasir muttered.

"... Of course not! I understand you were fighting to protect Ena and help Rajaion. But... Taking the medallion and literally handing it to Ashnard... That was risky..." Ike spoke.

Nasir laughed: "Remember on the ship when I mentioned that you would change after the war? I was wrong... You seem to have remained roughly the same."

"What can I say? I'm incorrigible!" Ike smirked. With that, the two finally settled their tense relationship.

As Nasir and Ike were talking, Ranulf and Lethe finally met in Lethe's tent.

"Ranulf... I am so glad to see you alive!" Lethe purred.

"Ah, Lethe. It's so nice to see you! I'm surprised that you were willing to come with Jill to Daein and fight so far. Don't you miss Gallia?" Ranulf asked.

Lethe crinkled her nose: "Of course I do, but I've realized that there is much I can do for our world if I simply stayed at home. Begnion and those Daein Revolutionaries are gaining the upper hand. If either wins these wars, Tellius will be in ruins."

"Well, Lethe, I see a change in you! Earlier, you would have only showed concern for Gallia alone, and maybe sighed a little if Goldoa or Phoenicis fell. But now, you've revealed a more compassionate self. I'm actually quite proud of you." Ranulf smiled.

"Oh, it's nothing. Had I not met some of my comrades, I'd still be my same old self." Lethe replied.

"By the way... Your room smells funny... I smell a Beorc... Could it be? That twitchy one, Soren..." Ranulf gazed around her tent.

"Curse you and your fine nose. Yes, Soren has been here lately..." Lethe muttered.

"I see. And why-?" Ranulf was cut off when he sensed another presence in the room. Ranulf turned and saw Soren's head peeking through the half-opened door.

"Hello, Ranulf." Soren smirked.

"What audacity!" Lethe growled slightly, but Soren could tell that she was not truly angry.

"Your door was open, and I heard you speaking to Ranulf, so of course you wouldn't be unclad. At any rate, I came here to speak to both of you. There's something disturbing that I think is more urgent than any simple chat." Soren spoke.

"And that would be?" Lethe glanced at him questioningly.

"Ranulf... A month ago, a large blue cat laguz impersonated you and kidnapped Lethe... Part of the reason why Jill, Ike, and I came here was to rescue Lethe and... Kill that impostor. And yet, you suddenly appear... Are you aware of such a situation?" Soren glanced at Ranulf with worried eyes.

Ranulf laughed: "Of course I do! That laguz was Tonerk. He was raised by The Black Knight." Ranulf spoke.

"Yes, Tonerk... I confronted him one night, and attacked him, fearing that he would hurt you, Soren, or Ike, or any of our other comrades. Unfortunately, he bested me in combat, and, with the participation of Shinon and Geoffrey, who has proven his penitence, kidnapped me and attempted to flee to those Daein revolutionaries. Thankfully, Soren, you rescued me, and fought Tonerk alone... I am quite surprised that someone like you would so such a thing." Lethe purred.

"Soren saved you? When I heard you say that you would rescue Lethe, Soren, I chose to ignore it. I assumed that we were asking for too much from you. For a long time, you proved yourself to be high-strung and insecure around laguz. Mordecai told me that when you first saw him, you called him a sub-human. Clearly, you have gone through a dramatic change. Saving Lethe? Fighting alone against a fully alert and healthy laguz who could have easily killed you? Why, that takes courage... And risk... Risks that I assumed you would be unwilling to make... You risked your life to save her... You've earned my respect. So, you assumed that Tonerk was myself. Well, I guess he was smart enough to trick all of you, except for you, Lethe." Ranulf spoke.

"You seem to know who Tonerk was. Was he in the Gallian army? He seemed to know a lot about you as well." Lethe asked.

"Tonerk used to be a warrior in my own unit. He was always violent and angry. I kept him away from you because I feared that you would consider him unworthy to be in the army, and if he ever saw your disapproval, he would attack you. However, after a few months of serving under my command, Tonerk disappeared. It seems that he was captured by Izuka and had his mind morphed into that similar to a Feral One. Curiously, though, Izuka never had him stay in laguz form. That's unlike almost all other Feral Ones. Though, it seems that Izuka did not try to erase Tonerk's personality or memory, he merely tamed Tonerk. That's why Tonerk seemed as though he was aware of the fact that he was a Gallian soldier, and that he knew me so well.

"The Black Knight must have raised him to kill us off, and because Tonerk knew me so well, he could assume my appearance. After I had to run an errand in Daein, Tonerk must have quickly arrived here to trick you into thinking that he was me. Lethe, I suspect that he used your kidnaping as a ruse to lure Soren. He must have predicted that Ike would follow Soren, along with the others, to rescue you. Once he had Soren and Ike in position, he could have butchered all of you. He used Shinon's hatred of Ike and Soren as a trump card for an alliance, as well as Geoffrey's willingness to kill Ike to protect Elincia. Thankfully, Soren proved strong enough to kill him... And that proves that you've grown so strong, Soren." Ranulf spoke.

"Well... After having fought so many Daein troops, and Feral Ones, one must be strong in order to survive. But Ranulf, what kind of errand were you running? And why would it cause you to be captured?" Soren asked.

"Well, that's... Classified... I might tell you later." Ranulf let out an embarrassed chuckle.

"Bah, fine... I knew you'd hush up sooner or later. Ok, then. I have to go do some planning with Titania, Cakil, and the other Generals, so I'll see you two later." Soren sighed as he left.

"Interesting choice for a mate, Lethe." Ranulf smirked as he watched Soren leave. "WHAT?!" Lethe glared at him.

"You think that your old friends are idiots? Mordecai spoke to me about his observations, and after observing the two of you for some time, I'd say that he was right." Ranulf replied.

"Grr... What evidence do you have that I'd fall for... THAT branded? You know me, Ranulf, I am not one of those females who desperately searches for a mate, nor do I feel that a mate is necessary for me at this time. I do not want a litter... At least not now. If I were pregnant, I'd be unable to fulfill my duties as a warrior." Lethe hissed, but her tail flicked uncontrollably.

"Excuses, excuses. You're right, I do know you well. You've always used excuses to cover up your true feelings. The Lethe I knew would kill any male who dared enter her tent unauthorized. She would also be quite insulted if any branded or beorc rescued her. You were always the type of person who would never accept anyone else's help. But now I realize that you've changed more than I thought possible... You've allowed yourself to love... In a way that the former Lethe would have spat at. And Soren, he's turned from a racist and a twitchy loner to one of the bravest, earnest, and wisest Sages we have ever seen. You two were meant for each other." Ranulf smirked.

Lethe gagged slightly and stepped towards the door. "We're friends, Ranulf... Soren and I are good friends, maybe even siblings, but nothing more..." Lethe spoke to him as she staggered out of her room.

"Ah, Lethe, you always were unwilling to face the truth..." Ranulf sighed. He too left the room.

Lethe strolled over to Zihark's new room, and found him sharpening his blade. "Hello, Zihark." Lethe nodded.

"Lethe! Interesting. I don't see you that often." Zihark smiled.

"No, you don't. Heh, ever since we first met at Toha, I've spoken to you less than ten times. But that has to change... Tell me, do you remember Relane?" Lethe purred.

"Relane? Don't tell me, you know Relane?" Zihark glanced at her in shock.

Lethe smiled: "Yes. Relane is a close friend of mine. After the Great War, I returned to Gallia, and had the chance to talk with her... She told me that she gazed over the list of heroes in the Great War, and found a certain 'Zihark' among those names... She demanded that I tell her about you... Apparently, you were involved with her once..." Lethe stopped speaking when she saw Zihark blush. His face reminded her of... Soren...

"Relane... Small world, isn't it? You and Relane have been close friends, yet neither of us had the opportunity to talk about her... How is she? How... How has she lived all these years?" Zihark asked.

"Hmn, funny you should ask. She asked me the very same questions about you, and showed her disapproval when I couldn't answer... Funny, it's not like her." Lethe replied.

"Yes, she is so kind, and nurturing... But Lethe, you are a warrior, how did you happen to know her?" Zihark asked.

"It's a long story... But recently, Relane joined the Gallian Army." Lethe spoke.

"Really? Relane would join the army? But, but she'd..." Zihark was cut off by Lethe.

"She was quite impressed that you'd fight so hard for the concept of the unity of beorc and laguz... She personally believed that your... separation with her would have hurt you too greatly for you to even desire dealing with laguz. In your name, she joined the army, ready to fight for Gallia and beside Crimea against any future foes. Zihark, when things cool down, I will make sure that you will see her again." Lethe told him.

"Thank you... You don't know how much she means to me..." Zihark muttered.

Lethe purred: "Trust me, I do."

Zihark left his tent later that evening, his face more rosy than ever. Unfortunately, he heard rustling in the woods, and two voices: "Sub-human! You won't be able to trick him that easily!"

"Grr... Who gave you the right to judge me, Parentless scum! I can love a Branded if I wish, and though you may hate Laguz, you have no right to interfere in the relationships of others."

"Oh, I sure can... All I need is my graceful blade. All I have to do is slash your chest and tear out your vital organs... You will perish, and he will be safe."

"Stefan, and Lethe? What could be going on?" Zihark ran toward the sound, fearing for the worst.

Is it Stefan? Is it? Stay tuned and find out!

As always, please read and REVIEW.


	14. Vow

I see so many other stories that are so well written, and I think to myself: "Boy, you have a long way to go."

(Sigh).

And people aren't willing to tell me what I'm doing wrong... (Besides Elf Princess Kiri, for which I thank you... But Zihark's hair looks blue to me on all the fan-sites I've seen.)

Anyways, here is the newest chapter:

Chapter 13: Vow

Stefan spotted Zihark as he emerged from the trees. He held his sword in Lethe's face. Lethe had already transformed into beast form, and the two of them had already exchanged several blows, with Stefan's blade cutting deep wounds in Lethe's flesh, and Lethe's claws tearing holes through his clothing, making him bleed.

"So, Zihark. You overheard us. Surprised? Your fellow swordsman is a Branded. Kind of ruins the art, doesn't it? But I ask that you try to kill me later. Right now, I have to save one of my own from a terrible fate." Stefan turned to Lethe, pointing his blade. 

"Now this can all end smoothly. We Branded have to stick up for each other, because the humans and sub-humans want to kill us. This can all end now, Lethe, if you keep away from Soren from now on. He cannot be allowed to be tricked by you. You want to lure him with the tempting gifts of love and affection, when in reality you want him to follow you to a private place so that you can kill him and make certain that our races will be pure. That must be it." Stefan smirked. 

"No, you're going crazy. Though I am impressed that you would find out my... Relationship with Soren so quickly, but you alone can do nothing to end it. We originally stood together as Comrades with the hope of seeing Beorc and Laguz united, did we not? Of course, in such a world, Branded would be given their place as well. That is why you joined us, and that is why Soren stayed. Though Soren has kept true to those goals, you have not. You come here, in this deceitful, savage, vile manner to negate all that Ike and our army fought for. For that, you have betrayed us all, Stefan. And, as you must have heard with Shinon, traitors get what they deserve!" Lethe growled and pounced.

Stefan glowed with a green light, and smiled. "Behold! The power of a swordmaster! You shall die today, cat!" Stefan laughed as he lept forward. 

Lethe was struck five times by the Vague Katti. She howled and fell. "Soren... Why... Why must it end like this..." She crouched. 

"Idiot, you aren't dead. I have to leave you alive long enough for Soren to learn what is good for him. But, you, Zihark, barged on my privacy. I can't let you flee and inform the others." Stefan began to twirl his blade. 

"You will see how hatred clouds your best judgement, Stefan. Now, let us masters of blades begin our duel." Zihark replied as he drew his Killer Edge.

The two attacked each other. Both had Astra activate, but Stefan, for some strange reason, happened to be causing more damage. The unlucky Zihark failed to unleash a critical, but Stefan succeeded, and thus took Zihark down. 

"Urg... Lethe... I guess Relane will be losing two people very important in her life..." Zihark panted. 

"Don't... Say that... We will be rescued..." Lethe hissed softly, her weak body unable to move. 

"You got that right..." A voice cried.

"Soren!" Lethe panted. 

Zihark saw the black robed Sage slowly advancing toward Stefan. "Good timing, Soren. This leech will die soon, and you will learn what is good for you. You should have gone back to Grann Desert rather than stay and be tricked by this sub-human." Stefan smiled. 

"Don't call her that! You've attacked Zihark and Lethe without provocation. This will not stand. I think our fellow Branded will be quite pleased once I'm finished with you." Soren readied his Tomes. 

"What a shocking challenge! I am pleased. Come, come and fulfill your destiny!" Stefan readied his blade.

"Smack!" Soren screamed. The blow alone threw Stefan off his feet. 

"Huh, impossible! Has your magic become so strong?! But, I'm certain that you can't avoid this!" Stefan readied his sword. "Astra..." He muttered. He flew at Soren, sword ready to rip him to pieces.

But the moment before Stefan could reach Soren, Soren cast Elthunder, knocking Stefan back. Soren immediately ran for cover as Stefan angrily tried to look for him. Unfortunately, Stefan was not paying attention to what was above him. A green wyvern descended from the sky, its rider twirling a lance. That lance jabbed Stefan in the back. Stefan gasped and fell.

"Thank you, Jill." Soren smiled. 

"No problem... I always thought Stefan was a little crazy..." Jill smirked. 

Soren picked up Lethe and Jill took Zihark. Soon, Tanith arrived and took Stefan hostage. The three of them headed for the fort.

"... I can't believe this. Stefan said that he would help me with my Emancipation Army. Why, why this change of heart?" Tormod spoke in tears. 

Muarim and Ike stood looking at the bound Stefan, who glared back at them with terrifying hatred. "Leave him... His traitorous eyes make me sick." Ike spoke as he walked off.

Zihark, meanwhile, cornered Soren. "Soren, so I've heard." Zihark spoke. 

"And what do you think, beorc? Do you feel horrible that a laguz and a branded shall interbreed? I bet the sight of their child terrifies you, doesn't it?" Soren sneered.   
Zihark drew his sword: "Soren, stop it! You can't seem to tell the difference between friend or foe. Had things gone how I wished, I would be the proud father of a branded, but life is never fair." Zihark spoke.

"What? Zihark? Are you serious?" Soren stared at him. Zihark sheathed his blade. 

"Yes. Lethe knows her too. Her name is Relane... We loved each other very much, but because of the hatred for branded and the animosity between beorc and laguz, we were forced to separate. After all these years, however, I've never loved another woman..." Zihark sighed.

"Zihark... Forgive my stupidity. After living your life despised by all, you tend to become vigilant, and cruel. I hope I did not sever any chance for a camaraderie between us." Soren bowed. 

Zihark raised him. "Of course you didn't... But I pledge you this: Relane and I might not have been able to be together, but as long as I draw breath, I will make it certain that you and Lethe will achieve what I failed..." Zihark kneeled.

"Rise... You are a loyal confidant, Zihark. Relane is not dead. Do not claim that you have failed yet. As you have pledged to help my dream come true, I will pledge the same for you. You and Relane shall also be reunited. I will convince Lethe to help us." Soren spoke. 

Zihark smiled: "I guess you don't know her as well as you think: she already has."

At that moment, Lethe entered. "Zihark, you're kidding! Stefan wasn't the only one who showed disapproval... There will be more, an army at least. How can the four of us withstand all those who would see their races pure?" Lethe spoke. 

"Doubt? I sense doubt in Lethe's words. Hah, how funny! Lethe, the great warrior, doubtful that her dream shall be fulfilled. We will prevail, Lethe... You laguz also know the old saying: love conquers all." Zihark smirked.

"If we fail... We failed fighting to the bitter end. If we succeed, then the fairytale ending shall have become true. Lethe, don't despair. We will see this through... I suffered long ago, but our children will not." Soren told her. 

"I only hope that you are prepared to see the end." Lethe muttered. 

"If we are all slain, then doesn't that prove how incredibly stupid we all are? How pathetic beorc, laguz, and branded have become? Our deaths would only prove to Ashera that we are unworthy to continue breathing upon her sacred lands." Zihark spoke.

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	15. A Lonely Plain

Correction: Zihark's hair is bluish-purple (lavender). (I've never seen the flower but supposedly its that color.)

To save my lazy skin: Zihark dyed his hair blue to avoid the Daein Revolutionary Army recognizing him as the uber hero Zihark.

So there!

Now, Tauroneo will serve a major purpose in this story. (Unlike the Game). If he seems out of character, well, he's meant to be!

So, now I shall begin:

Chapter 14: A Lonely Plain

Far north of Fort Nuchen, the snowy plains of Nev Garen await. Within these plains, nestled in the foothills of the Black Hills, the northernmost mountain range of Daein, a small fort stands. This fort, Fort Vigilance, is located near the Lasse City, one of the few cities unoccupied by DRA forces. Standing upon the barricades of Fort Vigilance, a man looked out toward the lands to the south. A significant amount of his hair was grey, and he looked like he was nearing the middle of his days. He was wearing pure white armor, and held a spear with a purple ribbon attached to the end. His name was General Tauroneo!

Tauroneo sighed and glanced out into the horizon once more. "Nevassa stands there, with The Black Knight and his minions, mocking us daily for losing our capital... I stand here, a defeated general, with a ragtag army that will not be able to survive another attack... At least, not on that scale. We've lost contact with all of our forts... At this rate, Cakil must have been defeated at Fort Nuchen, and Sothe... They must have found him and killed him too... We are vanquished. None of these troops can take this harsh weather any longer. And yet, yet my lord sleeps soundly inside. Perhaps I ought to wake him." Tauroneo sighed.

Tauroneo entered the fort to find Haar sleeping, as usual, with his wyvern, black as night. Both mount and master were completely oblivious to their surroundings. "My lord, you must get up!" Tauroneo shouted. Haar's wyvern opened one eye, and stared at Tauroneo. "Lazy beast, start shaking and rouse your master!" Tauroneo commanded. The wyvern snorted and fell back asleep. "Blast..." Tauroneo sighed.

A soldier entered the room: "General. Our watchtower spotted an enemy unit of around 100 troops creating a barricade to seal us in. There are around 115 of us soldiers here. We cannot afford to attack them, for they might counter attack and seize the fort. All we can do is watch them." The soldier informed him.

"Sigh... If only we had more than 10 calvary units. I'm afraid our food supplies will run out in a week or so. We'll be unable to fight them off. I must wake the Duke." Tauroneo sighed again. He began to climb Haar's Wyvern, and elbowed Haar in the ribs.

"Snort! Ah! Mom, stop hurting me!" Haar's eyes snapped open.

"My lord, our forces have spotted an enemy barricade on the road to Lasse City. That was the last source of our food supply. We will be defeated soon enough if we don't reclaim it." Tauroneo informed him.

"Then what did you rouse me for? Destroy it!" Haar ordered.

Tauroneo refused to budge: "My lord, our forces are even. If we deploy them, our other enemy positions will march to the fort and seize it."

"Ok, ok... I see... But did you have to elbow me in the ribs?" Haar yawned and rubbed his side.

"Forgive me, sir, I had to do it." Tauroneo responded.

"Alright, alright. Simmer down, pop. I'll head over there and find a way to break through it." Haar yawned. He dismounted and ran toward the western gate.

"Good Duke, the enemy has..." A soldier greeted him.

"Yeah, yeah. I know. Tell me how many wyvern riders and calvary we have." Haar spoke.

"Calvary? Less than 10. Wyvern riders number almost 20. But a battalion with less than 30 soldiers won't be able to fight off 100 foes." The soldier told him.

"Or can it? Tauroneo, I order you to stay here at the fort with 80 troops. I will take 35 troops, ten of them wyvern riders and five calvary units, to the barricade. You can expect a victory." Haar spoke.

"I do hope you are right, my lord." Tauroneo sighed.

"Yawn... I never really cared about this place. I mainly came here to pay Shiharam his respects... It was Jill that convinced me to stay here in Daein and help out. The people seemed to like us, and yet they'd backstab us to join The Black Knight. Now I have to do so much work, living on the edge in a tiny fort in the middle of nowhere... I guess that's fate." Haar thought as he flew toward the barricade.

"So, the great Duke has come. I, General Shannath, shall kill your wyvern and eat it. You're free to surrender if you wish." Shannath yelled.

"One of Schaffer's old cronies. Hah, I won't be beaten by punks like you. Bring it on!" Haar and Shannath engaged in battle, while their troops stared at them.

"The moment Haar comes, he takes on our commander. That's bad news for us... If our commander dies, then we've lost." A soldier muttered.

"That's a good thing!" Several other soldiers yelled.

"It is? Why?" The soldier asked.

"We were forced into the service of the DRA... If the DLF wins this fight, we'll be saved. Our families are under those revolutionaries' control, and we've got to save them, but we can't when we've been enslaved by them as well." The other soldiers yelled.

"Have you no shame?!" The soldier roared.

Thus, the barricade immediately went into an uproar. "About 60 soldiers in the barricade have suddenly turned on their allies... This may be a turning point for us." One of Haar's sages on the field spoke. The rest of the DLF looked hopefully at that minor rebellion, knowing that if the rebels were victorious, they would finally have their first batch of reinforcements in months.

Shannath, shocked at the rebellion within his own ranks, ordered a retreat. The DRA soldiers ran like panicked deer, but the DLF troops refused to follow them. Instead, gathering their new allies, they decided to use the vast amounts of gold stored in the barricade to buy more supplies. "Thank Ashera for you guys... We're in a pretty nasty plight." Haar spoke to his new batch of troops.

"We will fight to the bitter end to see Daein reunited under the DLF. Our families are the slaves of the DRA, and we will save them from this torment!" These new soldiers replied.

"We should dismantle this barricade. There's no purpose in keeping it here. We'll need the wood for cooking fires." Haar spoke. The barricade was dismantled and the 55 surviving soldiers of the rebellion, along with Haar's original 35 men, returned to the fort.

BTW, do you people think that Stefan is evil? Remember Shinon? Was he completely evil? Remember, Mordecai mentioned: "Everyone who is smart does things for a reason." Stefan has a reason to hate Lethe and the other laguz. You will hear about it soon.  



	16. A New Fear

I introduce a new character in this chapter. His name is Zolath. He will be a main character. He will NOT be helping Ike, ever. I want him to stay that way.

Chapter 15: A New Fear

Meanwhile, angry with the victory of the DLF, The Black Knight ordered General Zolath to attack the DLF position at Fort Vigilance. "And make sure you send someone with talent, unlike General Shannath, to Fort Nuchen to make sure that Greil's whelp and his band of kittens won't march forward and rescue the Duke." The Black Knight spoke.

"My lord, you speak of Gawain's son with such disdain, but was it not he who slew General Bryce and butchered good King Ashnard? Clearly, he is a formidable opponent." Zolath replied.

"Not so. I bested him twice in combat, and fought him to a draw in another." The Black Knight replied.

"A draw, you say? Please inform me, Lord, but was that draw the third fight?" Zolath asked.

"And what do you imply by that?" The Black Knight countered.

"Great Lord, you are one of the most powerful warriors Tellius have ever known, but if Gawain's son was able to fight you to a draw in your latest match, then perhaps he is growing stronger. I fear that he may be an opponent more powerful than any of my subordinates, or myself even. No simple warrior could stop him... Don't expect too much from the warrior I send after him." Zolath replied.

"You are too cautious. The neophyte would never be able to best someone of your caliber." The Black Knight replied.

"Yet, when the good King Ashnard appointed me to hold off Cakil at Fort Vigilance, it took hundreds of soldiers and so many months for me to have the upper hand. General Cakil and General Ike are a united army now. If Cakil was a piercing headache for me, Ike would be a calamity... Or even the cause of my own death. I fear that you rate my abilities too highly, Lord. We ought to be more realistic when dealing with such experienced foes." Zolath spoke.

"Silence! You sicken me by honoring him. Go! Destroy the enemy! Do not return to this position without a prize!" The Black Knight shouted.

Zolath left Nevassa in anger. "That big fool has no idea what he's making us do. Lieutenant Kenneth, I order you to attack the enemy position at Fort Nuchen. I will take the rest of our soldiers to Fort Vigilance. We have to destroy both enemy positions, or we will all be lost." Zolath ordered.

"But General, General Ike is commanding the army at Fort Nuchen... I'm not in his league." Kenneth replied.

"Are you defying my orders? Go, and go quickly! We have to hold him off!" Zolath snapped.

"Yes, sir." Kenneth muttered.

"General, what is the purpose of sending Kenneth? He would simply be slain." A Colonel spoke.

"Of course, but I don't want to waste any of my decent personnel fighting an impossible battle. Kenneth is the weakest officer I have. Sacrificing him and a couple Sergeants to make The Black Knight shut up is well worth it." Zolath replied.

"Yes, sir." The colonel nodded.

Zolath's army marched for Lasse City. After arriving at the city gates, they quickly purchased needed foodstuffs, then marched east toward Fort Vigilance. But Haar knew that they were coming. Taking General Tauroneo and 100 soldiers with him, Haar marched toward Zolath and his army. The two factions met around the place where Shannath built his barricade, and began to fight. However, Zolath miscalculated the strength of Haar's forces. The battle took several days, and finally, both sides were forced to pitch tents and gather supplies. A few of Zolath's soldiers, forcefully drafted into the DRA ranks, deserted to Haar's lines. But other than these small bands of warriors, Haar could not afford to call in any more reinforcements. The two Generals, well matched in skill and strength, found that it would be quite difficult to turn their current stalemate into a victory, and thus both could only continue this clash without end.

Meanwhile, Ike, Cakil, Sothe, Jill, and Tanith stood before all the soldiers and families stationed at Fort Nuchen. "We're moving out. Nevassa is still in the hands of our foes, and it will be long before we shall see any of you again. But hear me, my dear fellow Talegrans, so long as I draw breath, I will fight on your behalf. The pains you have all felt in both of these Great Wars has been excruciating, but they shall end with the reunification of Daein and the fall of Begnion! Begnion shall never harm you again! The DRA shall never draft you again! I shall make sure of it. Hear me, brave people of Talegra, your Duchess shall make sure that you will never feel the sting of war again!" Jill cried.

Meanwhile, in the Begnion capital of Sienne:

"There is something I desire within the laguz nation of Gallia... It is a bronze medallion, resembling a coin, but much larger." The Empress Sanaki spoke.

"Empress, what you wish for is beyond me... Our late foe, Ashnard, was the only man capable of utilizing that Medallion's powers without it consuming his conscience. You, your majesty, may fail in that enterprise." General Zelgius replied.

"Not to worry, my dear. I have a plan that will help me avoid any calamity. Go now, and bring me that medallion. Also, send a letter to the King of Kilvas, Naesala, for I wish to have a talk with him. If our two nations forge an alliance, we can achieve both of our goals." She replied.

Zelgius strolled out of the palace. In front of him stood a huge army of Begnion soldiers. "General? The province of Daein is undergoing massive fighting. Should we intervene?" A soldier asked.

"No. I care not what happens to that backwater territory. We must run an errand for the Apostle. TO GALLIA!" Zelgius cried.

"We're going to war against the Beasts? Huzzah! We shall win this clash, for Begnion!" Another soldier yelled.

Sanaki seems to be upholding the ambition that her former enemy once had.

Spooky...

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	17. Respect

Remember that country woman who told Jill and Ike (unwittingly) that she wanted to kill every single Crimean she saw in the future in order to avenge Jill's father? She's back!

Chapter 16: Respect

Our heroes found themselves at the entrance of a large cemetery. Before them lie a large tombstone, the centermost grave of the cemetery. General Cakil pointed his finger at the grave. "This, General Ike, is General Shiharam's grave." General Cakil informed him. 

"Ah, thank you, Cakil." Ike nodded. 

"You... Want to pay respects to my father?" Jill asked. 

"Yes. Soren, I'd like you to accompany me as well." Ike replied. He and Soren went deeper into the cemetery.

Ike and Soren kneeled in front of Shiharam's grave. Sothe and Cakil joined them, as well as Lethe, Tanith, Mist, and Jill. "I thank all of you for coming here, but, forgive me, why do you wish to pay respects to my father as well?" Jill asked. 

"We all have something to say... Just let us say them and we'll be out of here." Sothe replied.

Ike bowed before the grave. "General, you died so bravely in combat near those floodgates. Though you hated the idea of hurting the people of Daein, you did so in the hope that you would defeat your enemy... Unlike many of those who persecuted the Laguz and praised Ashnard, you proved yourself a righteous and noble man. Your clan lives on in your fine daughter, Duchess Jill. Major Haar always sung your praises, and now that I stand here, I must give you the respect you deserve... I killed you in the same manner as I killed Schaeffer and Mackoya, but you are a much greater man than both of those brutes. Forgive me, General."

"General, of all the men that died in the name of Daein, I can name only two who could be called honorable: General Bryce, and you. Unlike Ashnard and Schaeffer, you had no intention of tormenting anyone else to see Daein's victory... Haar told me that it pained you to see the people of Daein suffer. That is unlike any of the other fallen Generals of Daein that we have seen. May you rest in peace." Soren added.

"General, you once left Begnion because you despised the corrupt Senate. Unlike you, I let myself be blind from the brainwashing propaganda taught to be since birth. I stood strong with the Begnion army, unwary of the true evils within it. You were a greater warrior than I. They say that one can judge one's success in life by seeing how many people remember and honor him after his death. Not only do the people of Daein honor you, your enemies do as well. I must second Soren's comment: may you rest in peace." Tanith spoke.

"General... I suppose that in your dying breath, you lamented that you could not save Daein from its struggle... You died so unappreciated... General Petrine despised you. Ashnard let you rot without shedding a single tear. But I shall not let that stand! Your death was not in vain! Daein shall be restored to its glory, and the cruelty it has shown throughout the ages will end. The Laguz shall no longer be butchered, and the evil that has covered this land shall be purged. As a fellow General of Daein, I pledge to thee that I will see this dream come true!" Cakil cried.

"General Shiharam. I might have been only a lad at the time of your death, but I am also a citizen of Daein. The way you cared for so many of us commoners touched all of our hearts. We will pledge to follow your example. As Cakil has said, the laguz shall no longer be tormented here, and the horrible traditions will be discarded. Daein will be a much better nation than the one you left. I think that all of us warriors here agree on that. You can rest assured, General, that I will not rest until I've kept my word." Sothe added.

"Father... I'm so proud to be your daughter. You were more than a mere warrior. Years ago, I was young and foolish. I believed that being a strong warrior, killing laguz, and fulfilling the traditions of Daein would make you proud. On the contrary, those actions were your shame. But trust me, my journey with Ike during the Great War taught me so much, and I realize now that you felt the same as he... There was a time when I doubted you, but... Oh, what a fool I was! Father, I will not let your death be meaningless... My friends have already spoken for me, but I will help change Daein for the better... Just you watch." Jill smiled.

"Mr. Fizzart... I'm... Jill's friend, and Ike's sister. I guess my brother and everyone else have already said what has to be said, but, all I can say is that you raised a wonderful daughter. I... Was part of the reason why she refused to join you on that faithful day. I'm so sorry... You are a great man, and I think that your spirit will be content when we are finished helping Daein become better, and freeing it from Begnion's grasp." Mist muttered.

"Ah, Jill's father. It's about time that I've spoken here. Your daughter was unlike any beorc I have ever met. The vast majority of beorc are racists who despise the laguz, and for a time, your daughter was one of them. Yet, perhaps because of the fact that her father was not a racist, she quite rapidly changed and has became the great friend I know today. You, good General, are one of the few good men that we were forced to kill... Rest in peace. You've definitely deserved an eternal rest... Don't worry about us. We the living will make certain that Daein and Begnion will become much better places than they are now." Lethe spoke as an afterthought.

Ike and his friends turned and slowly walked away from Shiharam's tomb. But as they were leaving, a large number of Talegrans suddenly appeared. "You... You people actually respected Shiharam? You don't hate us...?" A woman called. 

"Sophie? Is that you?" Jill spoke.

"Lady Fizzart! Or is it Duchess Fizzart? So, we heard that you were actually fighting for Crimea... How stupid of us... We were ashamed that you would fight with them. I remember that, a few years ago, I wanted to avenge all of our people here by killing the Crimeans in the next war. Yet, I've learned that we were wrong. We were very wrong... It wasn't Crimea that was at fault. It was Ashnard. If he hadn't attacked those Crimeans and killed innocent country folk like us, none of this would have happened! No one would have to die! But, the Crimeans have proven to be so forgiving... And you, I thought you were milady's bodyguard. You're General Ike, leader of the Crimean Royal Guard, aren't you? Well, I have to say that first of all, it was shocking that you'd bother to give us food when you were the enemy. Secondly, you'd keep Father Tomenami alive even when his priests tricked you, and thirdly, you'd pay your respects to the great General Shiharam. I have to thank you for that... And ask for your forgiveness. As for you, General Cakil, we Talegrans feel so sad since you're leaving us, but since you are doing this to save Daein, we will support you to the bitter end. Dear Crimean friends, don't let us down! We've let ourselves be ruined once, but mark my words: Daein will never fall again! We will be a great country once more! Talegra will be glorious! As for the meantime, take these gifts, I no longer need them." Sophie spoke. Ike and his friends received several useful items and gold pieces from Sophie and the other villagers. With the villagers of Talegra biding them a tearful farewell, Ike and Jill marched on toward Nevassa... Until Lieutenant Kenneth intercepted them...

"I am Lieutenant Kenneth, Lance Knight of Daein, attached to General Zolath's twenty eighth battalion! I will not allow a band of Crimeans and Daein traitors to pass this checkpoint. I will slaughter you!" The Lieutenant shouted. 

"Bah, you have nerve, Lieutenant, but you won't be able to defeat us. I am General Cakil of the DLF. You DRA foes have no ability whatsoever. This General Zolath seems to send all of his troops in a reckless, stupid manner. He would send an inconspicuous brute like you to face tried veterans like us? Retreat, Lieutenant, and don't look back. That's an order." General Cakil replied.

"Sorry, sir, but I'm afraid you're speaking to an officer of the opposing army. But don't worry, I'll kill you before you can start feeling ashamed of your own stupidity." Kenneth snickered. 

He charged, and Cakil rushed forward to face him. "Does that mean if Cakil wins, we can move on? We're wasting valuable time here!" Kieran muttered.

But before Cakil even reached Kenneth, an arrow flew from Ike's lines and struck Kenneth in the forehead. Kenneth fell off his horse and died instantly. "Ah, Rolf! You stole my kill... I have to practice my swordsmanship, you know?" Cakil sighed.

"Like I said... The midget of doom." Boyd smiled.

"Anyways, we'd better move on." Ike spoke. As expected, Kenneth's men ran off towards the north. 

"Let's follow them. They'll lead us to some DRA stronghold that we can capture. After all, we do need to give the DLF some more victories, don't we?" Oscar spoke. 

"Good sir, don't assume that the Liberation Front is too weak to win battles. We are a tried and talented force who have simply lost a few battles due to the fact that the enemy commander cannot be harmed by ordinary weaponry, not because we lack the competence to fight." General Cakil spoke. 

"Yeah, right... I doubt you guys could even hurt a snail if you wanted to." Boyd suddenly blurted out.

"... Boyd, you're as dumb as a snail. Let's see if I could pummel you..." Jill spoke calmly as she stroked her axe. 

"We second that motion." Cakil and Sothe began to sharpen their swords. 

"Um, I was kidding? Guys? Heh, well? Could you stop looking at me like that? Could you sheathe those swords? Could ya? Uh, got to go..." Boyd began to run after those troops: "Wait for me!" He shouted. 

Jill, Sothe, and Cakil pursued him. Soren smacked his face with his hand. 

"Well... Think of it this way... They'll get there quicker than us... And Boyd's gone." Mist began to smile at the thought.

The army slowly marched on... After a few days, they finally found Boyd... He resembled a grape, full of blue bruises. Jill, Cakil, and Sothe sat nearby, with contented looks on their faces. Soren began to roll his eyes: "Well, Boyd, I hope you learned your lesson..."

"Yeah, Soren... Everyone hates me..." Boyd began to cry. 

"Keep your chin up, Boyd, boys aren't supposed to cry." Rolf taunted. 

"Why you little..." Boyd got up and began chasing him on the road ahead. 

"Well, by following those two children, we'll be getting somewhere." Lucia sighed.

Thus, Ike and friends approached the battlefield, where they found General Zolath fighting Duke Haar. "It's Haar! The Daein Liberation Front is here! Come on, guys! There's still time. We can save them!" Jill began bouncing up and down. 

"Yes, yes! My comrades are there! What are you waiting for, General? We must rescue them!" Cakil spoke. 

"Right! Didn't you come here to Daein to help us? Well, now's your chance! Let's go!" Sothe stammered.

"Right, we're going." Ike nodded as he rallied his troops. 

"Onward! We're off to save Haar!" Rhys spoke. 

"And duel some of those pesky Daein Revolutionaries... Pity, it's midmorning... And I wanted to fight them at dawn..." Mia groaned. 

"And I'll bet that I'll meet some pretty young lasses soon!" Gatrie yelped. 

"Do all of you guys have to start talking the moment we're going off to battle? Let's not waste any more time! CHARGE!" Soren shouted.

... But Sophie is not evil. I refuse to let her or any commoners be evil.

And yes, Rolf stole Mist's quote from the game...

To Intelligent Systems: ... Please don't sue...

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	18. Cream Cheese

Note: My dear readers, someone just gave me a point:

This story conflicts with FE 10.

You wanna know why?

1. I barely know anything about FE 10.

2. This is my own personal story. I don't want to get sued by Intelligent Systems for copying their entire game script and claiming it to be my own. That's amoral, disrespectful, plagerism, and just plain stupid.

With that said...

I find this chapter to be extremely funny... And disturbing.

If you don't like disturbing stories, don't read any further... And that's a warning. :)

If you don't care, or do like disturbing stories (shudders), then please do!

Chapter 17: Cream Cheese

Jill and Ike marched their united army towards General Zolath. General Zolath's men immediately saw the enemy reinforcements coming, and panicked. "Sir, enemy reinforcements are coming from the southwest!" A soldier shouted.

"Hah, hah! So Kenneth was defeated! How funny!" A Sergeant burst out laughing. 

The General glared at him: "I order you to remain silent. I knew Kenneth could not stop them for long. Have any survivors from Kenneth's old unit arrived?" Zolath asked the soldier. 

"Yes, sir... And they've already incorporated themselves into our ranks." The soldier nodded. 

"Very well. Tell Captain Colane to send a third of our troops to counter the enemy's advance. They are expected to slow them down. I will arrive shortly with the bulk of our army. Haar is strong, but not strong enough to annihilate us." Zolath ordered. 

"Yes, sir." The soldier replied.

"Well, Ike... It looks like they've underestimated us again. They've sent a Captain and a third of their troops to counter our advance." Nasir observed. 

"Hah, cocky, aren't they? They won't prove to be a match for us. General Zolath has proven not to have much prudence... First he sends Kenneth to kill us, then he sends only a third of his fighting force to engage us. It's as though he's more concerned about Haar... Or he doesn't know what he ought to be doing. What's with these beorc, hiring idiots to be their generals?" Ranulf laughed.

"Ranulf... We must stay vigilant. I have a feeling that this is not a serious engagement... This is a ploy. Expect something bigger to be coming once we finish this ragtag band!" Soren spoke. 

"This is Captain Colane of the Daein Revolutionary Army! You are advised to leave this area immediately, or you will face the might of our proud Daein army!" 

"Bah, you band of pitiful traitors shall not phase the Daein Liberation Front. Brag all you will. The Daein army that fights to protect our people shall pummel you into submission. Now, men, commence punishment!" General Cakil yelled. 

Cakil charged forward. Lethe seemed confused. "Is it just me, or is Cakil remarkably similar to Kieran?" Lethe glanced at Soren. 

"Of course he is just like me! We are glorious knights, fighting for the honorable nations of Crimea and Daein. It is clear that warriors like us should show our greatness by clobbering our foes! Go on, noble General Cakil, show that rowdy Captain who is greater!" Kieran cheered.

During their fight, Cakil tackled Colane and began smacking him on the ground. Jill stared at Cakil in shock, and asked Sothe: "What happened to the DLF when I was gone? Is this a standard tactic in battle?" 

"Nope, but Cakil is not our standard General... He's excitable, passionate, insane, reckless, conservative, irritable, boastful, rude, obnoxious, and... well... dependable." Sothe spoke. 

"I see. I wonder how Elincia felt when she realized what kind of man Kieran is." Jill sighed as she watched Cakil and Colane wrestle. 

"Well, apparently, she thought highly enough of him to keep him in the palace. Cakil might be a pain at times, but hey, he's still a great comrade to have around." Sothe muttered. 

"You might be right..." Jill pondered.

After a short scuffle, Colane was curled in a fetal position, muttering several pleas for mercy. His soldiers fled for their lives. Cakil stood up and brushed the dust off his armor. "Well, I hope you've learned your lesson." Cakil sniffed. 

"Cakil... You and I are Paladins, Generals of honor and valor. Yet, at the same time, we are veterans. We know of the horrors and pains of war. Was it truly necessary to act so brutish and batter that Captain into submission?" Geoffrey asked. 

"Hah, Comrade Geoffrey, you judge me far too readily. Did I not treat our General Ike well when I first spoke with him?" Cakil replied. 

"Well, Ike put his sword on the ground. You knew that he was not going to fight you, so you were willing to talk with him, but this mere Captain simply yells at you and you charge at him... And Lieutenant Kenneth simply called you an idiot and you snapped." Geoffrey sternly replied. 

"Well, Kenneth charged at me first..." Cakil muttered. 

"But that is not deserving of such an extreme reaction, does it?" Geoffrey asked in annoyance. 

"Geoffrey, I do not think you understand. Good Kieran, please explain." Cakil nodded at Kieran.

"Of course. General, as a fellow Crimean Knight, I think that you and I can easily understand each other. Also, because we are all Knights of honor, I think we can understand General Cakil, even if he is a Daein Knight. Knights of any faction, Crimean, Daein, or Begnion, have the same principle of honor... But anyway, the point is that we are Knights. We are veterans of battle. We have our honor to uphold! Some vermin may try to sabotage it... Like mice urinating on one's formerly delicious Cream Cheese. Don't you hate that? I mean, I sometimes try to eat a hard-earned, expensive piece of Cream Cheese and it smells funny... But anyways, when we see that vermin trying to pull such tricks on us, we must defeat them, just like seeing the mouse urinating on one's cream cheese and poisoning it afterwards. Yes, we love our honor, just like we love our cream cheese. We must defend our honor, just like we must defend our cream cheese. Our honor is more important to us than anything else, and our cream cheese, well, that's important too, but while honor is our life's blood, cream cheese is the substance that merely makes us able to defend our honor. I do hope I've made myself clear." Kieran nodded.

Strangely, all of the female members of Ike's army had become various shades of green. Lucia attempted to straighten her composure and spoke: "... Kieran... Remind me never to discuss with you the topics of honor, mice, and cream cheese again." She staggered off to her tent. 

"That's alright. We can leave you at base. Ladies, are you going to fight?... Or..." Ike looked at all of them. 

They simply answered by retreating to their tents. "Ike... You sound like an idiot." Mist gagged as she walked with them. 

"Oh, alright then. KIERAN!" Ike glared. 

"What? I am merely using an example. It is clear that my example was so great that all of our female comrades have been moved and are all too sick and sad to speak or even fight alongside Geoffrey when they see how he treats his honor so lightly." Kieran smiled. 

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" It was Geoffrey's turn to turn bright red. Geoffrey chased Kieran off into the distance. 

"And he says that I'm too extreme." Cakil chuckled.

... Kieran definitely has a big mouth.

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	19. Reunited

Tauroneo reunites with Ike! Finally!

And Zolath shows his character in this chapter.

I've finally reached the turning point of my story! Yipeeeeee!!!

Chapter 18: Reunited

After half an hour of resting, our heroes recovered enough to continue. "If only I could get my hands on that Kieran! My beautiful robes were nearly vomited upon!" Calill snarled.

"Yes... And to think that Elincia, our good friend, would have an idiot like him join us in this mission... I need people who can help, not people who make the situation worse... Stupid Kieran!" Jill sighed.

All the girls spoke in unison: "STUPID KIERAN!"

"Well, Kieran, guess you're pretty unlucky." Oscar chuckled.

"Stop making me feel worse, old rival... But I suppose that it's your job. I am a man! I shamed myself by making all the women around me feel poorly... This cannot stand. I shall now ram my head against this rock here..." Kieran picked up the rock, when Oscar lifted his lance and held it in front of Kieran's face.

"Kieran, stop it. I'm serious. You are not some kind of slave that has to punish himself for insulting his master. You are a knight, and an honorable one. You are my rival. Obviously, one must have some intellect, strength, valor, and moral sense to have that title. Don't make yourself look like an idiot by wacking yourself. I'm certain that if you showed more sense, one of these women would start liking you." Oscar nodded.

"Are you serious? You actually have faith in me! My own rival believes in me! Then I, Kieran, shall no longer be an idiot! I shall show these girls what kind of great guy I am. Oscar, I will make certain that you, too, will find a mate among our female comrades!" Kieran cheered.

"Yeah, that's unnecessary." Oscar began to regret his words.

But just as the two friends finished talking, a voice called across the plains: "This is General Zolath of the Daein Revolutionary Army. General Ike, I ask for a parlay with you."

"General Ike of the Crimean Royal Guard accepts your proposal." Ike replied. Ike himself stood with Ragnell sheathed, and faced Zolath who held a sheathed Vague Katti.

Jill stood by Ike's side, and Zolath began to speak: "Ah, the Duchess. Your husband is currently fighting my rear guard, and I'm certain that you wish to join him, but that would only be accomplished if you defeated me."

"Hm, that shouldn't be difficult." Jill smirked.

"That is merely your opinion, milady. Opinions do not equal facts. But regardless, I came here to speak with Ike. Now, Ike, your army is one of the most powerful forces on Tellius. The Black Knight's personal battalion is another. I do not match your caliber. You killed King Ashnard and his Generals Petrine, Shiharam, Bertram, and Bryce, the Mercenary Schaeffer, and countless other notable Daein warriors. I am merely Zolath, an unheard of swordsman from the northen reaches of Daein. I will not be able to fight someone of your caliber and hope to win, or perhaps survive.

"Yet, I stand here as a General of the Daein Revolutionary Army. They say that turncoats can never be trusted, and I plan to never betray my comrades. That means, of course, that I must fight you here, and keep you from reaching Duke Haar. Pray understand, General, that I do not hate you, nor do I hate you, milady. I only fight in the honor of my former comrades. I chose to stay with the warriors who fought under the late King Ashnard, instead of helping you, General Cakil, and the Daein Liberation Front. Now, General Ike, I would appreciate it if you did not use that unbreakable blade Ragnell. If we fought each other with breakable, unblessed weapons instead, the fight would be more fair, and would represent our true abilities better. I pray you understand my situation and view." Zolath nodded.

"Well, General, I must say that you are quite honorable, and I accept your request." Ike nodded. He sheathed Ragnell and drew the Seven Star blade.

"I originally forged this blade for myself after the battle of Tor Garen, as a symbol of the first victory of the Crimean Liberation Army. It has seven types of metal in this blade, as a symbol of the many types of people who joined the army to save Crimea. This sword is very special to me, and I am certain that you find your weapon special to you. I know that there are only two Vague Katti's in this world, and you are lucky to own one of them. Now, General, let us begin." Ike readied the Seven Star.

"Very well, General Ike. Let us begin." Zolath swung his Vague Katti. The two clashed their blades while Jill, Soren, Titania, Lethe, Zihark, and Oscar watched uneasily. The others all felt quite confident that Ike would win, but felt it a pity that one of the few honorable foes they met on their journey would have to be slain today.

"Aether!" "Astra!" The two legendary skills practically were activated at the same time. Zolath was struck hard by two blows that caused him to stagger, and Ike found himself caught in a fury of five strikes.

Zihark watched the battle uneasily. "With five hits, Zolath has a high chance for unleashing a critical on Ike. If any of those strikes succeeds in criticaling, Ike may not live to see the next moonrise. We have to expect the worst in this battle." Zihark spoke.

"I pray that you are merely stating what may happen and not what will happen. The Seven Star is a well-made blade. I was there when it was being forged. I don't think that it will fail its master." Titania spoke.

"Well, the Seven Star is a magnificent blade, but that Vague Katti is very likely not to fail Zolath. Both swords are powerful, and both can easily kill their enemy. I think this battle is going to be talked about for generations to come." Soren observed.

"All we can do, then, is wish Ike luck..." Lethe muttered.

"If only things weren't so tense... Pity, how war gets rid of good people so easily!" Ranulf sighed.

After a long battle, both Kings of Blades were exhausted. However, Ike suddenly had Aether activate at a critical time, and knocked the Vague Katti out of Zolath's hands. Zolath fell upon the ground, and Ike stood above him. "You fight well, General Zolath, better than you yourself claimed." Ike smiled.

"... Kill me, for I have failed." Zolath muttered.

"No. Too many honorable warriors like yourself have perished in battle. I can't bear to see any more of you die. You are free to go." Ike nodded.

"Truly?..." Zolath asked, trying his best to get up.

"The General is Down! ALL UNITS, ATTACK! KILL THOSE FILTHY CRIMEANS AND THEIR FRIENDS, THE DAEIN TRAITORS!" An enemy Colonel roared.

"Men! Cease this madness! You are honorable Daein soldiers, not barbarians! I command you, CEASE!" Zolath shouted.

But his soldiers refused to listen. They rushed upon the Crimean Royal Guard and their allies of the Daein Liberation Front. However, their ragtag army was no match for warriors like Soren, Jill, Titania, Oscar, Tanith, Lethe, Ranulf, Mordecai, Cakil, Kieran, or Zihark. The Daein Revolutionary Army soldiers were cut down almost instantly, and their ranks were swiftly decimated by Lethe and Ranulf's claws. Mordecai rushed through the rows of Knights, flinging them across the battleground like a miner flinging dirt into the air in his ravenous search for gold. The beorc heroes rushed about, hacking away at their foes with their blades. Zolath's men soon understood the consequences of treachery, but Zolath himself was unharmed, and was finally able to rise.

"My... Men... Are absolute fools! They are untrained, uneducated brutes! I have no sympathy for them. General Ike, if you feel animosity toward me for those filthy dastards, I will not blame you if you ordered your men to kill me on this spot." Zolath spoke.

"Men... Let the General leave this place. Anyone who harms him will suffer the consequences. Go on, let him go!" Ike shouted. Soren and the others calmly complied.

As Zolath walked away, Jill immediately reared up her wyvern and flew at top speed for Haar. She rammed into Haar, and the two went flying in the air, in each other's arms...

"Jill..." "Haar..." They cooed. They both hit the ground, but felt no pain.

"Let them be, everyone. Good men of Daein! I am General Ike of the Crimean Royal Guard. As you can see, we've escorted the Duchess to your position. We have two of your commanding officers, General Cakil and General Sothe, as comrades standing by us. We only wish for you to accept us as our allies." Ike spoke.

"From the moment you opened your mouth, General, you were considered a friend. Have you forgotten me so soon?" Tauroneo spoke as he stepped forward.

"Tauroneo? Uncle Tauroneo! It really is you!" Rolf laughed.

"Ah, Rolf! It's been a while." Tauroneo smiled.

"Tauroneo, your hair is greying... It's been four years, and I never had the chance to ask you about my father's past... How have you been?" Ike spoke.

"Ike... Your father and I were good friends long ago. Since he is gone, and as you his only son, it is my duty to help protect you... But you are a man now, and a greater man than most. I find it difficult to fulfill my duties to Gawain, or Greil, as our comrades know him. Ah, it is a pity that a little bronze medallion would destroy the very foundations of your family... Your mother, was not only a beauty, but a noble woman as well, and yet she was slain by its terrifying power. As a warrior, I find it difficult to cry, but as your... uncle... I find it so sickening that the two of you are orphans in this cruel world. You can be certain that Uncle Tauroneo will help you both in these dark times." Tauroneo sighed.

"Heh, no need to worry about us, Uncle. We're fine. It's been four years, plenty of time to help us move on. We can't stay back and dwell about the past. But we'll talk about these things later... Right now, Brother and I, as well as our entire army, need rest, and I'm sure that you guys have some fort nearby, right? We can all have long heart to heart talks in the morning." Mist smiled.

"Very well. We do have a Fort, Fort Vigilance, nearby. I'll take you there." Tauroneo nodded.

Stay tuned for more thrills, actions, and, um, random humor!

Please read and review!

BTW, the Seven Star Blade is a reference to an ancient Chinese sword that was used from 180 - 280 AD (Chinese Three Kindoms Era), known as "Seven Star." (Yeah, I copied the name. But I'm Chinese American, so I can't be sued.) I figured that because I'm Chinese, I'd might as well put something original in my story. (TO MAKE IT DIFFERENT FROM FE 10.) With that said, please continue reading and reviewing my story.


	20. Memories

Aw, pity, no reviews over the break!

But, I do have over 1300 hits! Woo hoo!

And four favorites! Clearly, some people do like this story.

Then let's get cracking, shall we?

(Warning: This chapter has no violence, or romantic sequences. The purpose of this Chapter was to introduce how Tauroneo will be important for the rest of the story. I hope you don't mind that...)

Chapter 19: Memories

The next morning, Mist awoke to find Ike and Tauroneo engaged in a long conversation about the past. For a long time, their father Greil had kept them from knowing about the days of his youth, his marriage to Elena, and his service as one of Daein's Four Riders. But now, Ike knew the truth about Greil, known as Gawain in those old days. Tauroneo had explained to Ike that the King had feared of Gawain becoming too powerful, and since Elena had the Medallion with her, Gawain had to flee Daein. Gawain asked Tauroneo to stay behind so that he could make certain that none of the soldiers of the Daein army could pursue Gawain and his wife as they fled. Tauroneo learned of Elena's demise from Volke, and Ike explained to him how Gawain finally met his end. Tauroneo informed Ike that The Black Knight was Gawain's pupil, and Tauroneo could hardly believe that Gawain could have possibly been defeated by that mysterious General. 

Tauroneo lamented that because of his damaged arm, Gawain met his end from a highly inferior foe. Had Gawain been at his full strength, The Black Knight could not have possibly won. Yet Tauroneo found it sad that Ike could not match Gawain's glory, but was overjoyed to learn that Ike bested someone of Zolath's fame and strength, proving that he could easily decimate the remainder of the DRA forces and save Daein. 

Tauroneo told Ike that, though his physical strength and skill could not match Gawain's, Ike's own talents and potentials could eventually achieve what Gawain could not: the restoration of Daein under a King who would truly care for his people and for his nation, and the regaining of honor for their entire clan. Tauroneo was confident that Ike could avenge Gawain and ensure that Crimea and Daein would never be threatened again, and informed Ike that, till the bitter end, Tauroneo would stand by the son as both an uncle and as a repayment of his failure to help the father in his final days.

"Tauroneo. I'm sure it wasn't merely fate when I met you in Daein's capital. I think my father had intended for the two of us to meet again; for me to find the one true friend my father had from his previous years. I thank you for risking your neck in the battle for Crimea, and for making sure that none of our comrades perished in those fierce battles." Ike smiled. 

"You give me too much credit, nephew. I am a mere mortal, not worthy of being honored so. However, at any rate, now that the DLF has so many of its soldiers and generals reunified, it is imperative that we move on and strike The Black Knight and his forces now. Come, let's look for Duke Haar and the others." Tauroneo nodded. The two of them strolled together toward's Haar's quarters.

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	21. Like Children

So, I've returned. There is a modified Chapter 20. I recommend you'd read that first.

If you already have, then let's get moving!

Chapter 20: Like Children

Haar and Jill were pleasantly snoozing in bed. Ike glanced uneasily at Tauroneo: "Should we disturb them?" 

"They sleep so much... It gets irritating, especially when we have a duty to fulfill. Let us awaken them..." Tauroneo replied. 

Tormod's head suddenly popped in between them. "Excellent! I want a chance to show both of you my talents! Blizzard!" Tormod shouted.

A hail of ice pounded the couple, yet they remained sleeping. Tormod stepped closer toward Haar. "That's funny, they should be awake by... Urk!" Haar's arm darted forward and held Tormod's neck in a tight grip. 

"Never wake me up again... Do you hear me?" Haar glared at Tormod, and when he saw Tormod begin to turn blue, released him .

"Wait a second, you have both of your eyes!" Tormod shouted. Haar's eyepatch lay neatly on Jill's side of the bed.

"Haar has both of his eyes? That's amazing!" Boyd blurted out. 

"Wait, does that mean everyone else is awake?" Ike spoke. 

The others began to emerge from their respective rooms. "Hsss... Thanks to Tormod's spell, we've all been roused. Curses... I need by catnap..." Lethe snarled. 

"Tormod, has it ever occurred to you that you will have ample retribution for awakening me?" Soren glared. 

"Um, well, I could take you... Yeah, Calill taught me plenty of spells." Tormod lifted his head and looked up at Soren, eye to eye. 

"Calill? Calill, did you seriously spend time trying to teach this runt?" Soren began to laugh. 

"Um, yes... But don't call him that, alright?" Calill glanced at them uneasily. 

"I wouldn't have done so had he not tried to challenge me. So, boy, do you think you could really face Soren in magical combat?" Soren glanced at Tormod. 

"I'm quite willing to try." Tormod glared back. 

"Then don't cry when you begin to feel the pain." Soren readied his Elthunder tome.

Several blasts later...

"... Owie... And to think, you aren't a Spirit Charmer!" Tormod groaned as he lay on the floor. 

"What did you say?!" Soren glanced at him. 

"Calill... Told me 'bout them... Said that being a Branded meant that you weren't so magically powerful... Yet you beat me." Tormod groaned. 

"Calill... Hmn, just because I am a branded, she thinks I am unable to face her?" Soren's right eye began to twitch. 

"No, Soren, it's not that at all. I thought you were a Spirit Charmer. I had no idea that you are..." Calill looked at him uneasily. 

"You're speaking the truth. I trust you. You thought I was the kind of person who would sell my soul to a spirit? Heh, what idiot do you think I am? One who would be desperate enough to do such a thing merely leads to one's own demise! I would never sell my soul to a spirit. You know of the curse of the Spirit Charmer... They allow themselves to be slowly consumed until they are fully possessed. I would never let that happen! But I guess that, like everyone else I've met over the years, you take things by face value... Hah, no wonder why you keep so much attention onto your stupid 'pretty' robe!" Soren laughed. 

"Take that back!" Calill readied her Thoron tome. 

"Try me." Soren laughed as he readied Elthunder. 

"You're using weaker magic than me..." Calill's eyes narrowed. 

"So?" Soren smirked. 

"So I'll teach you not to despise me, child!" Calill yelled as she blasted him with Thoron.

"Oooh... A fight! Go, Soren! Show that pathetic woman what you've got!" Kieran yelled. 

Oscar looked at him and began to back away.

"Alright... Who should kill him first?" Marcia shouted. 

"I will..." Titania stepped forward. "I am a Paladin, after all." 

"Go ahead, Titania. Once you've knocked him unconscious, we'll take turns waiting for him to wake up so that we can all teach him a lesson." Mia smirked.

As Soren and Calill exchanged 'friendly' fire, Kieran found himself facing Titania, with all his female comrades cheering her on. "What have I done now?" Kieran groaned.   
"Kieran, you claim to be one of the most powerful Axe-wielders on Tellius. Well, I started out as an Axe Knight, just like you. You chose swords as your secondary weapon, didn't you? Well, let's start out with our secondary weapons, then." Titania readied her Knight Killer. 

"Well, that means I'll take this." Kieran muttered as he readied a Longsword.

After hurling powerful spells at one another, Soren and Calill found themselves covered in the burned remains of their own clothing... Both were literally fried by each other's Thunder class spells. Since Soren was much more gentlemanly than Gatrie, he had not used any Wind class spells to take advantage of Calill during this unfortunate situation. "My clothes!" Calill shrieked, trying to cover herself. "You didn't see anything!" She glared. 

"No, I didn't... And I wouldn't want to..." Soren looked away in disgust. Calill covered herself in the remains of her clothing and flew back to her tent. Soren saw that though they were badly burned, his robes were virtually the same color, and decided to calmly stroll back to his tent. 

Ike looked at the scene with surprise: "Well, I've learned two things. One, that I have two sages in my army strong enough to wipe out a legion, and two, that the male one is not perverted, a rare breed of man!"

Kieran, meanwhile found himself heavily abused by Titania's Knight Killer. "Titania one, Kieran zero!" Mia laughed aloud. 

"Since when did you keep score of my defeats?" Kieran sighed. 

"Alright, Kieran. Now you use swords while I use Axes. I'm giving you a chance to... protect your cream cheese." Titania gagged at her own joke.

By the time Soren and Calill had finished changing, Kieran was sprawled on the ground, yet again. "You are pathetic..." Titania scoffed. 

"You take that back!" Kieran lept back onto his horse and readied a Poleax. 

"Ok... Fine... We'll both use Axes. That makes us even!" Titania swung her own Poleax. 

"Down with middle aged women believing that they can fight warriors in their mid twenties!" Kieran growled. 

"Crude whelp! I'm only thirty-three!" Titania snarled.

After a few strikes, Kieran tumbled off his horse and hit the ground. "Well, that settles it... You are pathetic." Titania glanced at him. 

"Best out of seven!" Kieran lept back onto his horse and drew his Longsword. 

"Well, you gotta give it to him... He sure is persistent." Marcia spoke.

"Well, Marcia... That jerk is persistent, but persistence is nothing when you suck." Mia smirked. 

Kieran was, once again, sprawled on the ground. "In five minutes... Boy... That's a record... For me!" Titania smirked at Kieran. 

"So, lad, do you want to be punished again, or have you learned your lesson?" Titania asked. Kieran's face was soon covered in tears:

"I, sniff, have failed! THE GREAT KIERAN IS NO MORE! MY VICTORIES ARE ALL IN VAIN! I've been urinated upon..." Kieran groaned and wept. Titania rolled her eyes and rode away.

Marcia flew up to him. "So, do you completely renounce your statement that women can't beat men?" She asked. 

"He'd better! Unless he wants me to rip him apart!" Mia growled. 

"Trust me, if she gets to you, you'll finally learn what pain is!" Largo groaned from a distance. 

"I never said such a thing... On my name as a royal knight of Crimea, I never said that women were inferior to men... I only thought that Soren was a powerful sage, and wanted to cheer him on... I never intended for it to be a sexist comment. If it was, then I ask that you kill me this instant, for I would be betraying my dignity as a paladin of Crimea, and as... a... a... (sniff) man. (Sniff)"

"Aww... Hold your head up, Kieran. I've never seen you so deeply moved. You were so stuck up, holding your chin up high as though you were better than us. Well, now it's time for you to realize that you're not all that. But don't be so wimpy. You're still a man! Look at all those other guys Titania has beaten, and slain. A lot of them were strong guys! If you're not a man... Then what are they? Besides, look at your records. You are a great warrior, don't belittle yourself! You're just like Gatrie, convulsing over a little defeat! C'mon! Crackers, guys like you make whole armies tremble. If you don't have faith in yourself, how can our army hope to use your talents to emerge victorious?" Marcia smiled.

As he heard her words, Kieran began to smile. "Yes, yes! I am Kieran, Paladin of the Crimean Royal Guard! None of my foes can stand in my way! Thank you, thank you, Marcia. Your words are songs of angels that help revitalize any broken heart!" Kieran cheered. 

Marcia looked away in embarrassment. 

"Wow. Makalov's going to be pleased. He's going to get a huge sum of money soon: all the money he needs to borrow." Oscar muttered.

"You can't be serious... This can't be what I'm thinking, can it? Well, it wouldn't really affect the situation in battle... Only that Kieran will be running around a lot more." Ike mused aloud.

Meanwhile, back in Haar's room:

"Boyd, why are you still here? Can't you tell that I need to change?" Jill glared at him in her nightgown.

Boyd was about to drool, but when he realized that Haar was present, he immediately corrected himself: "Uh, yeah. I'm gonna leave. By the way, hey, Haar, I never knew you had both your eyes still attached."

"So? You got a problem with it?" Haar asked.

"Oh, it's nothin... Just, why would you wear an eyepatch if you got both your eyes? Don't you need the depth perception?" Boyd asked.

"Well, Boyd, you are a close friend so... A couple years ago, when Haar was on a mission for the Daein army, he was flying on his wyvern when an enemy threw an axe at him. When Haar dodged the axe and turned to attack the enemy, the sun got into his left eye, weakening his eye. Haar wore the eyepatch over his good eye to help train the bad one to see better without the good one's support. That's why he wore an eyepatch." Jill explained.

"Oh... I see... Haar's bad eye, eh? Well, that's why he always missed in combat!" Boyd laughed and bolted from the room.

"I'll go, um, deal with our rat problem." Haar calmly told Jill as he grabbed his Brave Axe.

"Alright, don't waste too much energy on that snail." Jill sighed.

A few minutes later...

"Gaah! No! Please! I plan to give Rolf a nephew... Please! No! Don't! HELP!" Boyd's scream echoed throughout the fort.

"Good riddance..." Muarim muttered.

Don't worry. Boyd's injuries weren't, um, permanent...


	22. Fatal Crisis

I ask you, dear readers, to continue reading and (hopefully) reviewing my story.

As you can see, I really would appreciate some more reviews!

Please, tell me what I might be doing wrong.

Chapter 21: Fatal Crisis

"Alright, everyone. We are all gathered here within the walls of the most powerful DLF stronghold in existence. We shall not lose this position. However, a nation cannot be rebuilt if its heroes just sit on the fence. We will have to march towards Nevassa and strike those traitors now! Or all will be lost... The army of Begnion is waiting like a pack of wolves. If we do not reunite Daein in time, they will destroy us." Cakil spoke aloud.

"Forgive me, but it seems to me that you are much too hasty to be a worthy general. Our united army, though powerful, is greatly undermanned. We left a large amount of soldiers at both Bachen Fort and Fort Nuchen. With the remainder of our troops, we cannot hope to engage in another march. Even with the Duke's forces in consideration, our army cannot hope to leave this Fort and have it not be taken by the enemy. If we knew how many troops they have, I would have us march on without regret. However, the fact is that we do not even know how many soldiers the enemy has, and you would have us march at a foe potentially many times our size? That would be suicide. Our best bet is to leave three quarters of our soldiers here and return to Fort Nuchen, along with the Duke and Tauroneo. Sothe, I ask that you stay behind to watch over this Fort. We have to keep as many troops as we can in all three areas in order to survive. All of you comrades, if any of you is willing to stay here and help protect this fort, I would be much obliged. This is a time when any slip could lead to our destruction. We could die at any moment. Therefore, we must be cautious. If that means that we will not restore glory to Daein, then so be it. Better a Daein Liberation Front that still exists than a DLF that died as a miserable dream." Soren snapped.

Cakil glanced at Soren in surprise, and replied: "But consider all the defeats the enemy has had over the past few battles. You are right that in war, we should know our enemy's strengths, but it is also true that a drawn-out battle with many casualties should not be fought. The DRA has attacked us so many times, and has always failed with many casualties. Would they truly be willing to strike our Fort, knowing that they'd still lose so many soldiers?"

"You don't get it, do you? People are full of revenge. An enemy as relentless as the Daein Revolutionary Army will not cease to attempt to destroy us. The moment they see that we have left them an opening, also known as us leaving so few troops in the Fort, they will strike and seize the Fort. If that were to happen, we'd be out in the open, too far from Fort Nuchen. They would engage us in several fronts. Ensnared, we would be unable to hold off all sides, and we will all be lost. Is that what you want? Listen to me, General, what I said earlier is what we should be doing. If you are so obdurate as to go out and march, then let me warn you that you are extremely likely to fail. If you do succeed, we would be taking a gamble in which the odds are at 1500 to 1 in their favor. I don't think any of us, other than you, are willing to take those risks. Imagine if we fail, General, can you even fathom it? If you do survive, and are either imprisoned, released, or, Ashera forbid, recruited by them, could you live with yourself? Could you? General Ike, Duke Haar, Duchess Jill, I humbly ask all three of you to consider my advice and leave the bulk of our force here as we return to Fort Nuchen." Soren spoke.

At this statement, General Cakil turned his head and marched out of the room.

Kieran glared at Soren, and spoke: "Mere bookworm! You know nothing of the warrior's honor!" He too left the room.

Geoffrey looked at Soren, then looked at the door, and spoke: "Soren, I suspect that you do not understand how to convince our soldiers to follow you."

"Such fools! They may have tasted the pain and glory of battle, but has that taste left any impression in their mouths? They claim to know tactics and strategy, but in the end they have proven to be reckless and arrogant. They will fail sooner or later. I hoped that they'd listen, but if they want to get killed, then unfortunately I cannot do anything to stop them." Soren sighed.

True to Soren's prediction, Cakil and Kieran took 200 soldiers and marched out of the Fort. Sothe offered to stop them, but Soren waved him off: "Let them be. I want them to realize their stupidity before they come crawling back to me."

For three days, no news came from the two Generals. Then, when Soren was still sleeping...

"Soren! Wake up! Something terrible's happened!" Tormod shouted.

"Of all people, why you? What do you want?"

"Fry me later. You have to follow me."

"Fine, fine... (Mutters) Stupid runt..."

"Master Soren, General Cakil and General Kieran have been surrounded by hordes of enemy soldiers. I was able to cut through the barricade, with two other comrades, but the enemy finished them off. I am the sole survivor. They are extremely powerful... I beseech you to save the Generals." A soldier greeted him at the front gate. Soren eyed him fully, and decided that the soldier's tale was true: he was covered with wounds, and even had an arrow lodged in his shoulder blade.

"That show of whining, man, was unnecessary. I will save those Generals. However, I will need you to guide us to their position. You're willing to stay by my side at all times, aren't you?" Soren asked.

"Of course, sir. So long as you save Generals Cakil and Kieran, I have no right to hinder you."

"Then wait a few more hours, so that all my troops and officers are fully rested. A few hours time will not be much difference to Cakil and Kieran when they are under attack. I trust that they've grown smarter and know how to keep themselves alive." Soren replied.

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	23. The Great March

For those of you who "hit" the last chapter, it seems that I goofed.

I posted two chapters in one sitting!

I wanted to leave this chapter our as a cliffhanger, but I guess I posted it anyways.

Well, I'd might as well repost this one, right?

Chapter 22: The Great March

Sure enough, a few hours later, everyone was fully awake and prepared for the march. "Master Soren, who should we leave behind? It seems that all of our veterans wish to participate in the rescue of those two Generals." Gen. Tauroneo informed Soren.

"I see. But we can't afford to let anyone go, can we? General, who among us do you think is able to 'pull their own weight?'" Soren asked.

"Pull their own weight? Master, do you despise some of our comrades? That is quite... unsettling for a tactician." Tauroneo replied.

"Tauroneo. You are an experienced warrior, so you should completely understand what I am talking about. This battle is extremely risky. I have no idea how many enemy troops are waiting for us, and I do not want to learn this the hard way. We have many veterans who are 'second-class.' They are not as well trained as our elite fighters. Ike, Titania, and many others claim for this band to be a family. I must say that I agree. Therefore, it would be an emotional disaster for all of us if any one of us were to fall in battle. A second-class warrior is more likely to die than an elite fighter, don't you agree? I do not want to see someone like Nepheene fall when she could have easily have lived had she stayed behind. Boyd, for example, is an excellent axe-wielder, and could easily deal with enemy infantry, but send three enemy Feral Ones and it's curtains for him. Therefore, I cannot watch as these friends die, and I must decide who will fight and who will stay behind and live. I hope that you have the emotional security to help in this crucial decision." Soren spoke sternly.

"Very well, then. Ranulf and Lethe are some of our strongest warriors yet, and they can endure several strikes from enemy weapons... Even five enemy Generals like myself could not bring them down. They shall join, if you do not mind..." Tauroneo stared into Soren's eyes.

"I have no power over Lethe. I wish that she would not risk herself. But if it is her wish to go into battle, then my only concern is for her safety. Nothing more. As for Ranulf, I agree with you. He would be an excellent bet. Now, who else?" Soren asked.

They spent the next hour gathering their elite force.

"General Ike. Our forces are ready to begin the march."

"Alright then, Soren... So that means that you'll be in command of the Fort, Boyd."

"What?! Since when did I have to stay behind?"

"Since now. Largo, Calill, apparently you two are coming along."

"Largo gets to go and I can't?! I'm more buff than that guy!"

"Yes, but I have a higher weapon level in Axes than you!"

"So what? 'A' class is not that far from 'S' class!"

"But 'S' class is superior to yours, so there."

"Both of you, stop your bickering. Largo, leave Boyd alone and come with us."

"Yes, Master Soren..."

"Fine, Soren, you win. Largo, if you get killed, I will personally spit on your grave, you stupid..."

"Boyd, knock it off! Everyone, we're moving out!" Ike shouted.

So, Boyd, Nepheene, Devdan, Mist, Mia, Ilyana, Marcia, Lucia, and Sothe were left at the Fort. Haar and Jill chose to tag along, and Soren had no objections. Though Boyd was angry at being left alone... He realized that most of the women were at the Fort, and he began to feel pleased.

Our heroes left the Fort and began their long march.

"Aw... Man... And to think, Soren left Ilyana in Boyd's care... Soren, if anything happens to Ilyana, I'll wring your neck!" Gatrie snarled.

"I think Boyd will be quite hurt by your words! I'm sure he'll be mature enough not to touch YOUR Ilyana. If he does, then I'm sure you know that I am not at fault at all and, of course, I will help you punish him." Soren smirked.

"Well... Er, if he does do something to her... Then what should we do?" Gatrie asked excitedly.

"First off, I hope we don't have to do anything... But if anything does happen, then the punishment will be decided then. Now, we have a mission to complete." Soren replied.

"I see them... And they've spotted us. Get ready, everyone!" Ike shouted.

General Larry heard of the Crimean hero Ike, but never expected to meet him in battle. Ever since he was hired by The Black Knight, he had proven his superiority in tactics by outwitting the masses of Begnion soldiers at Tor Garen, Fort Steadfast, and Waterloo, where the Daein Revolutionary Army seized the Begnion city of Waterloo, forcing thousands of Begnion troops to surrender and join their ranks. The Begnion army seemed to be easy prey, and his trained Daein Revolutionary soldiers seemed quite able to wipe out legions of foes.

When General Larry received the report from his scouts that Ike had appeared, he smiled and spoke to his troops: "For years I have fought in war alongside heroes such as General Dakova and Petrine. Both were slain by this fellow. To face him and kill him in combat would be an honor. I want each and every one of you to pick off Ike's minions, and allow me to take on the commander myself. I will deliver his head to Izuka and The Black Knight. We will be rich men, wealthy beyond our wildest dreams. Do you understand what I am telling you? Go on, do your best, and when you return home the townsfolk will worship you." Larry spoke.

Soren and Tauroneo examined the enemy formation. "They are no fools. They have fought long enough to learn how to engage a tried enemy." Tauroneo observed.

"You call that a good formation! No offense, but any decently trained calvary battalion could overwhelm them. I know that Daein specializes in Infantry, but don't tell me that a formation is strong when it is not. Now, if you'd excuse me, I'll have to teach them a lesson. Titania, Geoffrey, Oscar, come here." Soren spoke.

A few minutes later, the Daein soldiers were scattered and ran for their precious lives. Oscar watched them go with regret: "How many have to die before we can finally save Daein? It seems so hard for me to stomach this many kills."

"Well, there's nothing else we can do, can there? Those Daein soldiers understand nothing but war." Geoffrey sighed.

General Larry, meanwhile, heard from the defeated troops that they were routed swiftly by Ike's army. "Interesting. They have a tactician among them who understands the fundamentals of the boulder formation. But what if I were to use another formation against them?" He thought.

Ike, Titania, Soren, Lethe, Ranulf, and Muarim were hiking ahead of the others, when Lethe began to act funny. "Ranulf, do you smell them?" She asked.

"Yep, they're Daein soldiers, all right." Ranulf nodded.

"Growl!" Muarim growled. He bolted ahead of the others.

"Muarim, get back! Mordecai!" Lethe yelled.

Mordecai, Geoffrey, and Largo appeared, along with the rest of the Crimean/Daein army.

Ike and Lethe ran toward Muarim, and they heard several screams and cries of pain.

Muarim had taken down an enemy Paladin immediately, and rushed among the Daein soldiers, downing several of them.

Ranulf, Lethe, and Mordecai joined him, hacking their way through the Daein lines.

"If I have calculated this correctly, then they are using the risky jaw formation, which means that our rearguard will soon be attacked. Also, we must protect our flanks. Everyone, let our laguz friends take down their tongue. We must prepare ourselves for the teeth!" Soren spoke.

Sure enough, enemies came flooding from all sides. Calill and Tormod found themselves alone, holding the enemy off with Blizzard, Meteor, and Bolting tomes. Ike and Zihark cut through the enemy lines to reach them, while Soren was casting spells everywhere, taking down a wave of enemy troops. Soon, he was surrounded, and while casting Tornado, Smack, and Elthunder at exactly the same time, he found that enemy troops were still after him. "We can't go on like this, Soren. Perhaps it is best if we retreat..." Titania shouted over the melee.

"No need to do that, VORTEX!" Soren roared.

Even though his hands were full of tomes, and he could not lift them to cast the spell, a Wind spell suddenly flew forward and struck three enemy troops at once. Calill was quite surprised at the sight. "Soren has mastered the Vortex skill? Then his Wind skill is greater than I could ever imagine... He is a godlike Sage." She muttered.

Soren continued activating his Vortex skill, slaying multiple bands of enemy troops. The tide soon turned when Muarim, Mordecai, and Lethe returned from their killing spree, rushing back to aid their allies. They quickly took down the remaining Daein Revolutionary soldiers.

Our heroes were finally able to regroup. Miraculously, there were no casualties, though almost everyone was wounded. There were few enemy survivors, and before Ranulf could reach them, they fled into the distance.

"That jaw formation is rarely used. The enemy general must have hordes of troops under his control, for the formation requires a large amount of soldiers to complete. Ranulf, Muarim, you two have apparently seen this formation in action, that is why you went for the tongue and tried to cut them in half. Thank you for your prudence." Soren nodded.

"It was nothing... The paladin I went to kill, he was my former master." Muarim replied.

"Truly? But, why would Begnion soldiers be joining with the DRA?" Jill asked.

"They must have conquered a section of Begnion and ordered the army in that area to surrender. I can't see any other reason why soldiers of an enemy nation would join them." Geoffrey replied.

"To join or not to join, that is their question..." Bastian suddenly spoke.

Ranulf looked at him funny: "Anyway, I'll bet that there will be more of them. We'd better watch our rear."

"Leave that to me. Muarim and I have fought several times for our Laguz Emancipation Army. We are not afraid of any enemy formation." Tormod added.

"I smell something coming from behind us, from the west. But, it's not iron or anything... On the contrary, I think I smell our own kind, Ranulf!" Lethe spoke.

"Lethe, I do not smell anything. Perhaps you are not well?" Mordecai spoke.

"I think you're sensing things... Reinforcements from Gallia could never arrive here... The people of Daein wouldn't allow it! No offense to you, Jill and Haar." Ranulf spoke.

"Yes, the people of Daein do not accept Laguz as they should. That is why I am still not enthusiastic in aiding them. Jill, Haar, I respect the two of you, but those under your command do not seem so sincere as comrades." Muarim added.

Jill sighed: "Sorry... I'm so sorry. As Cakil said, the culture of Daein will take years to change, and benevolent change will take longer than we can afford."

"It's true that Daein does not accept laguz, but once you help us fight them, my dear friends, then perhaps they will change their views. But we have little time. We've got to move on. Let's go!" Ike spoke.

As Ike, Jill, and their comrades marched closer to their entrapped comrades, General Larry was fuming. "You idiots! I used the great Jaw formation, and you had to ruin it! Now... Now I doubt I can hold the two of them and their men in that box any longer... They will break out any day now. I can't afford to send any more soldiers... Unless... You, idiots, release the Feral Ones!" Larry shouted.

"Well, Lethe, I do smell... Laguz... But they aren't our kind. They're Feral Ones!" Ranulf gagged.

"Feral Ones, coming for us? God, those are fast!" Gatrie muttered.

"I... I don't think I could take much damage from them..." Rhys groaned.

"Which is why you are in the center of the circle. Everyone, form a defensive perimeter around Rhys, Tormod, and Calill. Tormod, Calill, the two of you will blast our foes with long-range Tomes, while Rhys, your duty is to heal all those who are injured, as well as attack with Shine when we are all healthy. Got it? Good. Places, everyone!" Soren replied.

Sure enough, the Feral Ones rushed into the fray, but they were unable to penetrate the Crimean/Daein lines. After Tanith fried a couple with her Flame Lance, the remainder of the Feral Ones became afraid and ran back to their base.

"Excellent. We shall pursue them!" Soren ordered.

The resulting 'battle' was hardly a struggle. Larry was mauled by Lethe, Ranulf, and Mordecai. Muarim rushed among the enemy troops and slew them one by one. Tanith went on a Laguz hunting spree and took down the Feral Ones with her Flame Lance. All surviving foes, except for one Soldier, were taken out by Soren and Calill.

Haar flew up to the surviving soldier, and told him: "And you, you are ordered by Duke Haar of Daein to report to General Zolath, Shannath, or whatever commanding officer you have to stand down and surrender to the Daein Liberation Front. Now go, and go quickly!"

Our heroes were finally reunited. Only 25 out of the 200 soldiers Cakil and Kieran led to attack the Daein army survived. Cakil and Kieran prostrated themselves in front of Soren, begging for his forgiveness.

"You two. Just remember that Ranulf and Muarim are both more talented Generals than you, and you should be fine. Heh, you two didn't know how bad recklessness is, did you? Well, I hope you have learned you lesson. Welcome back. Now, we'd better return to Fort Vigilance. It's been a long march indeed." Soren sighed.

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	24. Lyre

Since I wanted to post Chapter 22 (or, on this site, Chapter 23) with this chapter as well, I guess I'll have to now.

Guess who appears?

Chapter 23: Lyre

As our heroes prepared to leave Cakil's makeshift camp...

"Curse them! They insult the grand Daein Revolutionary Army! I'll see them dead. How many troops do we have? 1,500? Excellent. I will send 800 of our warriors to engage them. Larry had 200, and he perished, but what if I sent 4 times that number? General Ike, Duke Haar, and their pathetic band will be exterminated. Daein shall be ours once again!" Shannath growled. His forces immediately began their march towards Ike's position.

At dawn the next morning...

"I smell iron, again, and that smell of our laguz friends is also stronger as well." Lethe sniffed.

"I still have to praise the great smell of the laguz. I can't smell a thing, but still, Ranulf, that worries me. Do you smell iron as well?" Soren asked.

"Yes, I do. Not surprising, is it? Those Daein beorc never learn. Regardless, I do not smell other laguz, Lethe. I really think you are hallucinating." Ranulf spoke.

"Grr... I am not hallucinating." Lethe glared at him.

"Ranulf, that smell of iron is extremely strong... In fact, EVERYONE! WAKE UP! WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!" Muarim bellowed.

Muarim spoke not a moment too soon. "I see 300, no, 500, no, 800 enemy units, with Feral One accompaniment. We are doomed." Tormod reported from the watchtower.

"There is a way out through the trees. Some of our weaker beorc friends can escape from there." Mordecai observed.

"Then we shall get them through. Everyone, take what you need and leave the rest. We must retreat. If you don't leave, then you will die. Go!" Ike shouted.

As our heroes evacuated, Soren, Calill, Largo, and Zihark found themselves straggling behind the others. They saw the Daein troops appear.

"The four of us will hold them off, go!" Oscar yelled. Titania, Cakil, and Kieran were with him.

"The three of us shall help." Ranulf, Muarim, and Mordecai added. They rushed beside Oscar and Titania and attacked the advancing Daein soldiers.

"Lethe is ahead escorting the others. We ought to join her. Hurry up, guys!" Soren spoke.

But they were too late. When they ran half a mile away from Oscar's position, 40 Daein troops appeared and surrounded them.

"You are doomed, oh great advisor for Crimea. Surrender immediately, and you will be given a grand post." A Colonel spoke to Soren.

"I don't take bribes. Tornado!" Soren shouted in response.

The four of them engaged the enemy, but found themselves nearly overrun, until...

"Roar!"

"Eh? Are there more sub-humans than we thought?"

"Roar! Growl!"

"They're coming closer, Colonel. We should get out of here."

"Don't be silly, Private. They are nothing against us. Besides, we have to kill these four first."

"Ha... Ha... Just you try..." Soren panted.

"ROAR! GROWL! HSSS!"

"NO!" The Colonel was cut down by a Cat... The Cat looked quite familiar.

"Lethe?" Soren panted. He was exhausted and about to collapse...

(Ten minutes later.)

"Are you alright, Beorc?"

Soren opened his eyes, and found himself lying down on the dirt. Largo was crouched beside him. Zihark was standing at attention with several Gallian Tiger and Cat units, and Calill and a female cat were looking down on him.

"Lethe? It can't be." The female cat looked so similar to Lethe, except that she wore a red shirt instead of Lethe's green one. In cat form, she was wearing a red collar, contrasting to Lethe's green ribbon.

"You seem to confuse me with my sister, Beorc. I am Commander Lyre of Gallia. You seem to worry about her deeply... Knowing my sister and her temperament, she should have already cut down her Daein pursuers and arrived at your Fort. We will have to go there as well. My troops are helping Ranulf and Oscar hold them at bay."

"Thank you, truly. But, Lyre, how did you come here? Lethe was telling me that she smelled your unit, but none of our other Laguz comrades realized that you were arriving." Soren spoke.

"My sister has a keen sense of smell compared to other Laguz. I must admit, going through Daein was not an easy journey. Strangely enough, our march through some provinces, such as Talegra and Fort Nuchen, was not nearly as arduous as we had expected. In fact, at Fort Nuchen, we received supplies from a Sage named Jorhasten. Regardless, we still had to arrive in secret to come here. I suspect Ranulf could not detect our coming, but my sister could." Lyre replied.

"Very well, then. I need of your strength, Lyre. Largo, Calill, Zihark, we shall hurry to Fort Vigilance, with our Laguz friends escorting us!" Soren ordered.

Suddenly, Ranulf, Muarim, Oscar, Titania, Cakil, and Kieran appeared, with a few other laguz. "All of you, hurry! They've overwhelmed us and are heading this way!" Ranulf shouted.

"Then we must hurry, um..." Lyre could not remember the Sage's name.

"Soren. I am Soren. It is an honor to have finally met you. Lethe never told me she had a sister. But we must hurry. Calill, give me your Elfire tome."

"Sure, Soren, why?"

"Watch." Soren held the Tome, lifted his palm toward the sky, and shouted: "ELFIRE!" The fireball flew into the air.

At that moment, a flock of Hawks descended from the sky. Among them were Ulki and Janaff!

"Master Soren, it seems that you need our help." Janaff greeted him.

"Exactly. Ulki, can you hear for me how rapidly our foes are pursuing us?"

"They are coming at great speed. I will take some Hawks, and we will taunt them awhile."

"I see no bows. Still, be careful, Ulki." Janaff added.

"No need to remind me, Janaff." Ulki replied. He flew ahead with 10 other Hawks.

Janaff took the remaining four Hawks with him. "We'll go with you, Soren. You can count on our assistance!"

"Thank you kindly, Janaff." Soren smirked. Our heroes continued their flight to the Fort.

Alright, well, Read and Review!

I'll be updating this thing daily... Or as often as I can.


	25. Reunion

Does this site hate me, or do I have no idea how to work this thing?

I double posted again...

But there were no hits, as of yet, but I fear that this site may update slower than I anticipated. So, I shall repost this  
chapter... Gah, I am so foolish!

Chapter 24: Reunion

"Lyre, is Relane in your unit?" Zihark asked Lyre as they were running.

"Yes, beorc, you know her?" Lyre asked in response.

"In more ways than you'd think. My name is Zihark. It's an honor to finally meet Lethe's sister in person." Zihark smiled.

"Wait, are you two the same Soren and Zihark Lethe told me about? Two of the 44 comrades who accompanied my sister during the Great War?" Lyre asked.

"Yes, we are." Soren and Zihark replied.

"Ah, I see... Well, Relane should already be at the Fort. I smelled my sister ahead, so I ordered Relane to catch up to her. We should be close to the Fort." Lyre spoke.

"I see it..." Janaff said.

"Well, yeah, but your eyes can see things from miles away... It's still a long walk for us." Soren sighed.

When they finally reached the Fort, Lethe saw Soren, and burst out of the gate. "Soren! Are you well? Did they dare hurt you?... Oh..." Lethe saw Lyre.

The two sisters stared at each other for some time.

"Ah, Soren, I see..."

"You see nothing, young one."

"Oh, Lethe, why must you treat me so?"

"Lethe, Lyre is different. She was a headache when she first joined the army, I admit, but she's grown." Ranulf interjected.

"Stupid idiot! Why did you join the army! You could have been safe, been sound... Not like me. But you've never listened to me, have you? Now look, our whole clan will be extinguished because of your stupidity!" Lethe growled.

"By saying that, you imply that you will get yourself killed. Don't assume the same for me." Lyre taunted.

"How dare you mock me? I am your elder sister! Have you no respect?!"

"On the contrary, have you any respect? You always insulted me for being inferior to you, and I admit, I am weaker. But look at me now! I helped save Soren from the Daein pursuers, and sent Relane to assist you. Besides, I'm quite shocked. You decided to listen to me for once. You've stopped cursing at the Beorc, and have learned to stand beside them."

Lethe was fuming with anger at Lyre's challenge, but before she could speak:

"Are you going to stand there gawking, or should the two of us retreat into the fort? I do not want to be speared alongside you when those Daein troops come." Lyre smirked.

"You... You have no respect! With no respect, you have no honor!" Lethe snarled. But even though she was fuming mad, she saw the reason in Lyre's proposal, and the two entered the Fort side by side. Soren and the others followed after them.

"I see how they are sisters, now." Soren whispered in Ranulf's ear.

"I should have warned you. Relations between the two have never been friendly." Ranulf whispered back.

"Well, if I stay on either's good side..." Soren muttered.

"Hey, Lethe will practically always have you on her good side, unless you really get her mad. As for Lyre, well, knowing the kind of person you are, I'm sure she'll approve. Even if you are, you know, a Branded. Lyre doesn't really care about race, not like Lethe in the past." Ranulf replied softly.

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	26. Future InLaws

As you know, Soren/Lethe is practically the main pairing for the time being. Ike/Tanith will appear after some time.

This chapter has no violence. It is intended to have Lyre understand Soren better.

Chapter 25: Future In-Laws

Zihark and Relane were overjoyed to see each other. For the next hour, Lethe and Lyre were able to keep their minds off of their loathing for each other and, instead, share a happy moment watching Relane finally reunite with Zihark. "Let's leave them be. They need to speak to each other for a while." Lethe told Lyre.

"I never knew Relane loved a Beorc. Hmn, just like you." Lyre calmly glanced at her sister.

"Don't assume anything, young one!" Lethe hissed.

"Pah, whatever you say." Lyre waved her off and walked away. She soon walked past Soren's room, but stopped, and walked to his door. She knocked.

"Come in."

"Hello, Soren."

"Lyre! This is surely a surprise!" Soren greeted.

"Yes. I need to ask you a question." Lyre looked at him.

Soren was a little stunned by her gaze: "Yes, what is it?"

"Why are you pursuing my sister?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean. The Lethe I knew would have never fallen in love with a beorc. She has changed, and though most of her is the same, this change alone enhances her total character. Why, why would she change so dramatically? She turns from a racist who despises and curses the very existence of beorc, to a laguz who chooses a beorc as her mate. Why is this? What happened? I am her sister, so I have an obligation and a right to know." Lyre glared at him.

"... If I must tell you..."

"Go on."

"Then you must know that I am not a beorc."

"You think you can trick me? You have no wings, so you are neither a hawk nor a raven, and you have no tail, so you cannot be a member of the best tribe. Your skin is much too pale to be a dragon. Even a newborn dragon has dark skin from birth. You are a strange, red-eyed beorc who has a red birthmark on his head by coincidence. Don't lie to me."

"Stefan was right."

"Excuse me?"

"You know of the Parentless, do you not?"

"... Wait... That... Does Lethe know?"

"Of course she does."

"I see..."

"Yes. I look very much like a Beorc child. Don't you see? I am no Beorc. So, now, are you going to despise me for being a Branded, or a Parentless, as you'd call it?"

"Hmn, ever since I first met you, did I show any sign of discomfort when I believed that you were a beorc?"

"That's different."

"It isn't. Many laguz cannot tell the difference between Beorc and Branded. They look so similar. Thus, we believe them to be the same, until we learn the truth. Now, I know that you are a Branded. Many ignorant laguz call you 'Parentless.' But I believe that they are wrong. You exist, not by your own fault, but by an act of either love or lust by your ancestors. The former, of course, has no fault involved. The later, depending on the situation, is the fault of one of your ancestors, but not of the entire race. I'm sorry to say that in many cases, a beorc male committed a crime that created a Branded. I hope that your ancestor did not commit such a crime upon another of your ancestors." Lyre replied.

"If that were so, I do not know. I have no knowledge of my parents, or my clan. I am all I have in this world. But you, Lyre, you have Lethe, and Lethe has you. How can the two of you continue such a tense relationship? I had no family, and part of the reason why I sympathized with Lethe was because I saw her alone as well... But she has a sister. She has family, and furthermore, her sister is strong, independent, and quite intelligent. If you two are siblings, and have only each other in this world, then what could have possibly happened between the two of you?" Soren asked.

"Before I answer your question, you must answer mine. All you have told me is that you are a Branded. Very well, what else?" Lyre snapped.

"I... Very well. I felt... attracted to Lethe since I first met her."

"You don't need to feel any discomfort when you tell me this. Many males have felt the same. Only, none of them were able to continue feeling that way without experiencing some sort of pain, yet you did not."

"Well, yes. Lethe and I showed no sign of attraction for each other during the Great War. In fact, she had quite a negative impression of me."

"I admit, when she told me about you, I had a bad impression about you as well. Calling Mordecai a sub-human? Saying that to a Kilvas Pirate I understand, but, of all laguz, Mordecai?"

"I... retracted that statement years ago. It was made when I was ignorant, and spiteful."

"I understand why you would feel that way... being abandoned..."

"Don't be so arrogant! You do not understand what it feels like to be scorned by all. Muarim might, but not you! You have lived in the safety and security of Gallia as a Laguz. I lived in Gallia as a Branded! Do you know how I was contemned or disregarded by all, even when I was on the verge of death? Do you have any idea? I doubt you do!" Soren raised his voice.

Lyre was silent.

Soren began to calm down. "No, you do not understand. I appreciate your sympathy, but sympathy is not understanding. Anyways, Lethe and I, in fact, had not shown any signs of genuine affection until... Until she was kidnapped by Daein Revolutionary Forces."

"So I heard, and you defeated Tonerk. You are indeed a powerful Sage. Your act of rescuing my sister puts me in your debt. You are a good man."

"Thank you, but without my friends, I would have accomplished nothing. Regardless, after I rescued her... I could not stop obsessing over her. I felt as though it was my duty to protect her, because, because I love her." Soren _blushed_.

Lyre smiled: "Well, I must say that, since I am Lethe's only family, you have my blessings. However, I must also advise you to be careful with her, for, as you well know, she has a nasty temper."

"And she has quite potent ears." The two heard a purr from the hallway.

Lethe also entered the room. Soren stood and Lyre glanced at her with surprise. "So you heard us?" Lyre asked with raised eyebrows.

"I heard everything. I found it strange how you approached Soren's room, so I pursued you." Lethe replied.

"Lethe... I..."

"Soren, no need to worry. As for you, Lyre, weren't you a little abrupt?"

"Perhaps I was. But it was still rude of you to eavesdrop..." Lyre began.

"No. I would not have my sister or my... lover... begin their enraged quarrels in my quarters. Both of you will treat each other with respect, so long as you are in this room!" Soren spoke.

Both Lyre and Lethe stared at him. "What audacity..." They both muttered. But Lethe also had to look away. Lyre observed her sister with amusement.

"Perhaps... Perhaps there may be hope among the Beorc, the Branded, and the Laguz. With lovers like Zihark and Relane, the Beorc and the Laguz have been united, but uniting all three races is the trickiest part. However, I am seeing history being written with my very eyes. History written with the help of my own sister, no less! Perhaps if the two of you succeed in your desires, the gap between Branded and Laguz will be finally mended. The gap between the Branded and the Beorc, I think, is not so wide, so it can be mended much easier. Thankfully, we might be able to fix the more difficult problem first. I say this again: you have my blessings." Lyre purred.

Lethe and Soren glanced at Lyre in shock. "What?!" They both spoke.

"Yes, you heard me. I have great faith in you two, and I'm sure that all of our comrades here share my conviction. You two will change history, for the better." Lyre nodded.

Nearby, in the Fort's prison, Stefan moaned loudly and painfully as he heard Lyre's speech. "You sub-human filth! What you did at Grann Desert will never be forgotten! I will make sure of it! You claim to unite Branded and Laguz, yet you butcher my kind! Paradoxical dastards!" Stefan roared.

"What are you talking about?" Asked Bastian as he slowly descended.

"You... You heard nothing." Stefan snapped back.

"Don't get me wrong. I am not your enemy. I actually support you. If you tell me everything, I can decide whether to release you. If I do let you go, you will be able to fulfill your dream. All I want in the bargain is your promise that when those laguz are slain, you will help me in my own desire." Bastian replied.

"And what would that be?" Stefan asked.

"You can accept what is clearly beneficial to you without questioning my personal wish, can you not? I give you my word that what I wish for is not against your own interests at all. Please, trust me, Stefan. You and I both have goals, and together, we can achieve them." Bastian spoke.

"Very well. Pick this lock and we'll talk." Stefan smirked.

"It shall be done." Bastian nodded.


	27. Gawain

I told you that Tauroneo will be a major character in this story. He gets an important role here.

And there is action!

Chapter 26: Gawain

Ulki flew back to the Fort, with only six of his ten hawks. "Four of my brothers are gone. The Daein army has been held back for so long, but now it has regrouped as is closing in on your position. Be vigilant, Ike!" He told him.

Tauroneo was the first to stand on the battlements of Fort Vigilance. The Daein army soon came. Tauroneo saw them, and spoke: "The Wishblade? Ursova? How, how could he? My friends... You have been dishonored! This unworthy wretch shall pay!"

A young man of the Daein army was approaching the Fort. One hand held a spear, the other an axe. Seeing that spear and that axe made Tauroneo furious. "General Ike, I ask for your permission to duel the enemy general." Tauroneo asked.

"Of course, uncle, but... May I ask, why?" Ike asked.

"Do you need to ask? I'm doing this... for two old friends of mine." Tauroneo replied as the gate opened for him.

"Wait, that's my father's axe! And Bryce's spear! That wretch stole the axe from my father's grave in Gallia! Go, Uncle. Go and kill Shannath!" Ike shouted after him.

"So, old traitor. We finally meet in battle. I thought this old axe and lance would grab your attention." Shannath laughed.

"You... You coward! Hiding behind Schaefer's back as you watched him use those priests as shields. You and your comrades disregarded the lives of innocent people. You are low enough not to understand morality. Why, why do you even exist?!" Tauroneo readied his lance.

Shannath smiled and readied Ursova. "Perhaps Gawain will show you how he disapproves of his old friend."

"You dare do this in the presence of both me and the son of Gawain?! In the name of my old friend, you shall perish today!" Tauroneo charged.

They exchanged blows, but Ursova proved to be a powerful axe to be reckoned with.

Tauroneo whacked Shannath with his lance in such a way that the Wishblade was loosed from its hilt. It fell onto the ground, and Tauroneo picked it up. "Bryce, old friend, give me the strength to uphold Gawain's honor!"

"Stupid old man. But it looks like General Bryce has shown his disapproval for me. Yet, with Gawain here by my side, I shall not lose." Shannath smirked.

The two continued fighting, yet Ursova proved much more powerful than the Wishblade. Tauroneo found himself weaker than his opponent. "Old fool, don't you see? This is why Gawain was greater than both you and Bryce combined. Even if Bryce's spirit stands by you in his old Wishblade, you both cannot defeat the Ursova." Shannath laughed.

"But there is something more powerful than friendship, you vermin, and you will find my father's axe useless in your hands!" Ike cried as he rushed toward Shannath.

"Yes, nephew, perhaps you are the one destined to uphold Gawain's honor." Tauroneo muttered.

Ike drew Ragnell. "Forgive me, Father. This blade struck your Axe once... But in order to retrieve Ursova, I must use Ragnell against it." Ike readied his sword.

"Using a blessed weapon? What a coward. Tauroneo, you call a man who uses a sword that cannot be broken your nephew? That shows how low you are." Shannath smiled.

"Very well. I can kill you with this. Just watch me." Ike replied as he grabbed Tauroneo's Silver Blade and drew it.

"Nephew, what are you thinking? Gawain's Ursova is a powerful axe!"

"But even the greatest of axes find a disadvantage against swords. As Ashnard himself once growled: 'It matters not how famous that blade is. If the wielder lacks skill, the greatest weapon is nothing but blunted steel.' Shannath, you lack both talent and honor, but instead hide behind a weapon much greater than you are. Prepare to die, fool!" Ike swung the Silver Blade and lept above Shannath. Before the enemy General could react, Ike plunged the weapon into his forehead. The Daein troops, seeing their commander fall, ran for their dear lives.

Shannath's dead body hit the ground with a thud. Ursova fell from his hands and hit the ground. Ike picked the axe up, and slowly stroked it. "Father..." He closed his eyes.

Tauroneo held Wishblade, and approached Ike: "Ike, Bryce was also a good friend of Gawain... Perhaps you should keep this."

"No uncle, take that spear. I killed Bryce. He may have been my father's old friend, but unlike you, he did not choose to stray from the path of darkness. He remained loyal to Ashnard to the bitter end, so I believe that I have no right to acknowledge him as an uncle, not when I was the one who murdered him. Uncle Tauroneo, you and Bryce were close. I think my father would agree for you to take that spear." Ike nodded.

Ike swung Ursova a few times, but found his balance and grip quite unsteady. "A pity. Boyd mastered the art of the Axe, and I, the Sword, but my father mastered both. In that sense, he surpassed us all." Ike muttered.

"Do not despair, Ike. Your swordsmanship matches or, I dare say, surpasses that of Gawain's. Boyd may not be as skilled an axe wielder as your father, but you have excelled in fencing... Perhaps you can avenge Greil once and for all and kill the Black Knight!" Tauroneo cheered.

But the look on Ike's face could make anyone solemn instantly. "Have you so little faith in my father? He was a powerful warrior, one who I could never become."

"Ike... What is the dream of all parents? To see their children achieve what they could not, to have their children become better than them. Why would your father train you so much? Do you think he merely wanted you to be a mediocre or, perhaps, a mere 'decent' general? Or as a champion among Knights? The former are mere goals to be reached by one without much potential. But look at you. In 645, you were merely a 17 year old boy. But in less than a year, you became a man. You became a General, a leader of men. You led 44 heroes on a quest to restore a lost Kingdom, and succeeded. Princess Crimea was a leader of this exhibition, but you were her equal. You were also their leader. Without you, Crimea would still be a 'province' of Daein. Because of you, this world has changed.

"Yet, look at your caliber. You see how your past mistake of allowing Daein to be owned by Begnion has ruined the lives of the innocent Daein populace, and so you march once again, not to save Crimea, your homeland, but to save Daein, your former enemy's homeland, even if it means engaging your former friend, Begnion. That takes courage. That takes an open mind. That takes tolerance. All of which you have mastered...

"Look at Greil, he was once one of Daein's Four Riders, and a legendary warrior. He saw the coming doom of the medallion, and, with his wife, renounced his rank, name, and title. He had an old friend watch his back as he fled his homeland and reached Gallia. Yet, unable to control his inner desires, he grasped hold of the medallion, killed his wife, and threatened to destroy all he had accomplished. But her sacrifice conserved him, and he regained his senses. Transferring the medallion to the safe hands of his daughter, he started a new life as a Mercenary, traveling through Crimea doing tasks for profit. He won the hearts of a band of warriors and scholars willing to join his cause. Together, they formed the Greil Mercenaries.

"Now, compare both Father and Son. The Father was no coward. On the contrary, he was quite honorable, yet he allowed desire to consume him. But you, Ike, are different. You were given the title of Lord, but readily renounced it and returned to your old life of being a Mercenary. You never even thought of seizing the medallion, unlike Greil. Only now have you taken your old title of General and marched out to save Daein. You have much greater potential than your father. If he was a hero, then you are a legend in the making. All that accomplishment in one year! Greil took 47 years to become great, but you merely took a single year. And after four years, look at you now. You are better than your father; do not even think of countering me. I said this before, and I will say this again, you will achieve what your father could not. You will fulfill the dream of many. You, Ike, will have your name praised for centuries to come!" Tauroneo spoke merrily.

"Uncle, if what you say is not merely flattery, but your honest belief, then I must say that my victories are not my own. They are Soren's victories, Elincia's victories, Gatrie's victories, Titania's victories, Oscar's victories, Jill's victories, Lethe's victories... they are the victories of the 44 heroes that traveled with me throughout the course of my journey. Hence, they are your victories, too. Without any one of my forty four comrades, I will not have been so great. The credit belongs to all of them as well." Ike nodded.

"How humble. Even your father didn't have such humility when he spoke of his successes. Like I said, you surpass him in so many ways. He would be so proud of you." Tauroneo smiled. A tear began to run down the old man's cheek.

"Uncle, why... Why are you crying?"

"My sons... Thinking of Greil and his sacrifice makes me think of my failure as a father..."

"What do you mean?"

"Rolf never told you? I had two sons. One became a Daein General, and lost his ability to walk in battle... The younger... was merely a boy, but I wanted him to become a Daein General to uphold the family honor. Because of my stupidity, my wife left me and went to live with her relatives in Port Toha..."

"Wait..."

"Shortly after your flight from the Port, A colonel of the deceased General Mackoya, to 'honor' his former commander, ordered the execution of random townspeople... Including... my entire family..."

"No..."

"Rolf... advised me at the end of the Great War to visit my family. I agreed, but when I arrived at the Port, I found much of it in ruin. I asked a familiar face on the street... He was my brother in law, who watched the chaos from the inside of their home. The house was attacked by Mackoya's troops, and he fled from the backdoor. Before he could do anything, they broke into the house, and killed everyone inside... The horrors of rape, murder, and pillaging echoed throughout the port. My wife was lucky. She was murdered without losing her honor... her purity... her grace..." Tauroneo began to weep. "Such... such a fool am I! I failed to be a good father... Or a good husband... I failed to adequately provide for my family, and because of my stupidity, my entire family is dead!"

Ike could find nothing to say. 'Sorry' would be an insult. A youth like Ike could never fathom Tauroneo's pain. Yet Tauroneo was thoughtful. He could hold in such pain and still appear happy to allow his comrades to be cheerful, but sometimes emotions are too powerful to hold back, and this was one of those times. Ike could only walk away, looking back and nodding at his uncle.

Poor old man...

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	28. March to Nevassa

I'm going to update this as often as I possibly can. This chapter, I believe, is quite exciting. Enjoy.

Chapter 27: March to Nevassa

Hundreds of hawks from Phoenicis arrived at Fort Vigilance, and were welcomed with open arms by everyone. But they were not the only arrivals. Minister Jorhasten himself came from Fort Nuchen with additional DLF soldiers. These men were stationed in hiding spots all over Daein, and after the mass retreat of the DRA soldiers to Nevassa, they emerged from hiding, numbering over 1,500 strong. With 3,500 additional Crimean troops and 500 Gallian warriors who were called in from Bachen Fort, Ike found his army to be quite massive indeed.

Several of the laguz showed uneasiness as they walked around the fort. Though there were hundreds of them here, they all seemed unwilling to actually assist these beorc. Many remembered the enslavement of the laguz not long ago. Soren, seeing how things were, asked Lethe and Lyre to help alleviate the situation. Lethe, being the better speaker, jumped at the chance.

"My Beast brothers and Hawk cousins, I understand the uneasiness you feel standing in this smelly dungeon full of iron weapons and stinky beorc, but I must inform you that these beorc are nothing like those terrible foes from the past. What they did to us then is unforgivable, but these beorc have proven themselves to be different. They are loyal, thoughtful, honorable comrades. I, Lethe, Marching General of the Elite Gallian Warriors, once had a goal to take down and kill every single beorc that would dare stand in my way... But I have changed. Many humans are not as horrible as we assume them to be... There are many noble and kind ones among them. There was a term for such beorc, 'laguz friends,' and I think that, of all the places you could be, being in the middle of a den of laguz friends is a blessing, is it not? You have no need to worry. You are among friends, among people you can trust. Janaff, Ulki, Muarim, Mordecai, Lyre, Nasir, Relane, Ranulf, you can all vouch for me, can you not? We are among friends here. Ike and his comrades are people you can trust. Do not be afraid or spiteful. Rather, you should feel overjoyed that for once in your lives, you are among a pack of friendly beorc. Now, let us go destroy those humans who are bent on upholding that abominable tradition of butchering our siblings. Join me, my brothers! Join me, my cousins! We shall prevail!" Lethe roared. Her laguz siblings stood together and roared as well.

Now that the laguz had been rallied, they willingly stood among their beorc allies. Soren stepped onto the watchtower, and passionately addressed them all:

"Our army, united with beorc and laguz, shall march forth to save a nation who once butchered laguz with extreme prejudice. Yet, we stand beside the Duke and Duchess here, in the hope that all those crimes will cease. With the people of Talegra, at the very least, cheering us on, there may be hope for Daein after all. Comrades, today we make our newest mark upon history. We shall liberate Daein from the tyranny of the Daein Revolutionary Army. We four armies, the Daein Liberation Front, the Crimean Royal Guard, the Elite Gallian Warriors, and the Grand Phoenician Sentinels, stand together in the hope of making Tellius a better place. In unity lies strength, and with our combined force, the Black Knight and all his minions cannot hope to stop us. My friends, let us free our Daein friends and save this land from further scars of war. Onward!" Soren cheered.

"Well, greetings, everyone. The fighting has been hard, but we have prevailed! We have lifted so many sieges, and have forced our enemies to flee for their lives. In so doing, we have helped our friends emerge from hiding and make their marks on the history of our world. We shall stand together as we march to Nevassa. The enemy has despised us for so long, yet now they are learning how immensely foolish they are. Their lesson shall end with their complete defeat. We shall prevail! Move out!" Ike added.

And so, the entire united army of Daeins, Crimeans, Phoenicians, and Gallians marched side by side towards Nevassa. Izuka saw them from the high watchtower of the Daein capital, and laughed: "Those sub-humans will fell the pain... For I am the greatest Fire Sage alive! Prepare to be barbecued, you animals! METEOR!"

Flaming rocks fell from the sky, striking several laguz warriors. "Hurry, we must get close enough for their Meteor tome to have no effect. I see that sage there! BLIZZARD!" Soren yelled. Sheets of ice crashed onto Izuka, who dueled Soren using his Meteor tome. Since Wind is weak against Fire, Soren found himself in quite an unfavorable position, so Calill took over for him with a Bolting tome.

Our heroes were finally able to force Izuka to use up his Meteor tome. "Curses. Now, we'll have to actually face them. All units and Feral Ones, destroy them!" Izuka yelled. The two armies rushed upon each other and began their epic clash!

During this time, the Empress Sanaki of Begnion had her Duke Leakin provide her with assistance to see far beyond her eyesight. "Empress, this spell will not work much longer." Leakin warned her.

"I see them... In Daein... The Crimean/Daein army is fighting the Daein army! They have laguz on their side, those Crimeans. It seems that the DRA will lose. Now is the perfect chance! Those two foolish factions are weakening themselves, letting us go in for the kill. Send 5,000 of our elite soldiers through Tor Garen and destroy all of the factions in Daein. Begnion shall prevail!" Sanaki ordered.

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	29. The Unholy Alliance

Here, the impossible becomes possible.

Chapter 28: The Unholy Alliance

The resulting battle was quite bloody. Hundreds of corpses filled the grounds as the two armies fought for supremacy over Daein. The casualties began to pile up, and even Geoffrey was shocked at the situation. "General Ike. At this rate, our units will lose morale seeing this many of their dead. We're attacking the enemy the wrong way. It would be wise to retreat." He spoke.

"Soren, what is your opinion?"

"I agree on one point. We have plenty of casualties. However, fleeing now would only make us look ridiculous. How could we possibly convince them to surrender if we flee halfway? They'll simply fight us to the death next time, unwilling to surrender to cowards. If we want to reduce the bloodshed, the only thing we can do is pummel them into submission. They will not understand any other way." Soren answered.

However, in the midst of combat, Lethe sniffed something in the air: "I sense that more of them are coming from the South. They're approaching from our rear!"

"I'm on it!" Lyre called. She left the battlefield, followed by several Gallians from her unit.

"I'll join her!" Boyd added, grabbing Rhys and dragging him along. Mia followed the two, curious how Boyd would ruin their chances of victory this time.

After a few more skirmishes, Muarim began to voice his concerns: "Ike, my laguz brethren are beginning to regret fighting here. We have so many casualties. They feel like they are fighting a war in which victory does not mean that laguz shall no longer be killed."

"I understand, and I'm sorry, but we've gone this far. I can't turn back now. We aren't vanquished yet. In fact, we are the winning army here." Ike replied.

"Ike, his battle seems more like a siege. You know the rules of war. Or, at the very least, we laguz have a saying that: in a protracted battle over a city or den, it would be wise to retreat. The enemy will lower their defenses and go to get food. When that happens, we can smite them. This siege has taken too long, and so many of our troops have perished. Were their deaths worth it if we fail to take a victory soon? We should retreat a distance, and strike again." Lethe called.

"Wait, everyone, hold off your attacks! Our units are returning, with enemy units beside them!" Janaff observed.

"This is a DRA supply convoy. We are delivering food." A DRA Lieutenant spoke. He had several wagons of grain behind him. Rhys and Mia marched nearby, with Boyd tied up between them. Lyre and her Gallians were also escorting them.

"Fools... Don't you recognize a ruse when you see one?" Soren muttered.

At this moment, The Black Knight emerged from the Fort. "Let that convoy pass, enemy warriors, or I will face you." He spoke.

"... I can't afford any more casualties. Everyone, stay back! Let that convoy pass." Ike said.

"Idiocy..." Soren sighed.

"Nephew, are you certain of this? They might be tricking us and we're simply letting them gain the upper hand. Who knows what might be buried under that grain?" Tauroneo whispered in Ike's ear.

"Whatever it is, it can't be worse than a Dragon, and you know how unlikely that is." Ike whispered nonchalantly.

Muarim also asked Titania: "General, is Ike doing what you think is right?"

"I also worry about what might be in that convoy, but I trust the General's decision, no matter what." She answered.

And thus, the convoy slipped through Ike's ranks and entered the enemy fort. The Black Knight reentered the Fort, and the two armies clashed once again. However, after ten minutes of fighting, General Zolath burst out of the Fort and shouted: "ALL UNITS! CEASE YOUR ATTACK! General Ike, I call for a truce!"

"What are you talking about?" Ike asked.

"Wait, if he's asking for a truce after the convoy entered, then perhaps that convoy was carrying information. Perhaps we've made ourselves lucky. We might be able to end this fight now, without any more casualties." Titania spoke to Soren and Tauroneo.

"I do hope so... Yet something tells me that we will be fighting again soon." Tauroneo replied.

"I must agree... This battle might be over soon, but I don't think Zolath would ask for a truce without conditions. There must be something they want from us. Our strength, perhaps? Could Begnion have finally attacked Tor Garen?" Soren spoke.

"Is that what you think this is? The DRA can't hold off Begnion's newest surge, and thus they ask for a cease-fire. Hmn, should we accept their proposal?" Tauroneo asked.

"We should not assume anything as of yet. Let's listen to what Zolath has to say." Titania replied.

"General Ike, as we both know, the nation of Begnion is our common enemy. It is powerful, and relentless in its assault. For the longest time, we of the Daein Revolutionary Army have been able to hold them off, by ourselves, even though you were fighting against us.

"But recently, a huge mass of Begnion Imperial Guards have attacked our barricade of Tor Garen. The wall may be breached soon, and our forces are finding it more and more difficult to fight them off. There are thousands of Begnion troops in this latest surge, and we might fail in stopping them.

"Do you realize the consequences of this? If Begnion defeats my comrades at Tor Garen, their army will rush into the Daein countryside. Your posts of Fort Nuchen and Bachen Fort will be attacked simultaneously. The entire land of Daein will be laid claim to once again by Begnion. We will both lose everything. Are you willing to let one of your enemy camps be destroyed and sacrifice all of your camps and all of your chances for reinforcements as a penalty? I doubt so! You are no fool. I ask that you stand beside us as our united forces beat back the Begnion wave. After we make certain that Begnion cannot interfere in our contest, then we can continue our war. What do you say?" Zolath asked.

"ALL UNITS! CEASE FIRE! Zolath, let me talk to my advisors. I will inform you of my decision in one hour." Ike replied.

"Remember, any additional time spent is time handed over to the Begnion Empire." Zolath said.

Ike nodded and approached Soren, Titania, and Tauroneo. Zolath turned and reentered the fort. The Daein Revolutionary Army soldiers regrouped at the gate of the Fort, and reorganized themselves. Ike's army and its allies camped nearby, and prepared themselves for their commander's decision.

Ike, Soren, Tauroneo, Titania, Lethe, Tanith, Geoffrey, Lyre, Muarim, Ranulf, Nasir, Janaff, Ulki, Jill, Haar, Rhys, and Lucia were gathered as together within Ike's tent.

"Comrades, you are the great minds among all of our heroes, so I must ask each and every one of you for your assistance in this decision. As you know, General Zolath of the DRA is asking for an alliance against Begnion. If we continue this fight, he argues, Begnion will overwhelm the DRA stronghold of Tor Garen to the south, and that victory will give Begnion the ability to ransack the neighboring lands, including both our positions at Fort Nuchen and Bachen Fort. We cannot afford that to happen, so I turn to you with the hope that you can enlighten me. Now, I ask for your opinions." Ike nodded.

Haar immediately went to sleep, so Ike could not find any way to get advice from him.

"... For the longest time, the DRA were our enemy. Yet, they make a good point. But, but how can we side with people who uphold such terrible moral values? It would simply defeat the purpose of us coming here in the first place. I don't know... Either way, we lose. I just can't see how any of this is beneficial to us... I guess we should accept our proposal then, and attack them later. But that... would be treachery, and that's wrong, so, so... Gah, morality is so difficult to uphold! I guess... we should accept their proposal." Rhys spoke.

"Very well, Lucia?"

"It seems that they are sincere about this alliance, otherwise they'd just try to get rid of us and rush to the aid of Tor Garen. I don't think they'd be lying about such a thing. We outnumber them, and you carry Ragnell, so even though The Black Knight could take on all of our troops, he could not face you. I think we should accept their proposal. It is in our best interest, after all." She spoke.

"What are you talking about? Clearly, you are naive! By having us lower our guard and help them, they'd be using our strength to take out those Begnion troops. I've heard several laguz hunters speak the phrase: 'Let two tigers exhaust themselves fighting each other, because then they'd both be easier to kill.' The DRA wants us to waste our energy helping them to destroy the Begnion soldiers. Once we are weak, they will strike and attempt to destroy us. How can we afford any such casualties in vain? It would merely show our stupidity! No, I do not think we ought to aid those plotting dastards!" Lethe growled.

"... I am a former soldier of Begnion, but do not assume that my loyalties still lie there. It pains me to see that we finally have to face my brethren, but I will do so with a raised sword. However, I see Lethe's point, and I am quite afraid of the consequences of the DRA's betrayal. There is no way for us to predict the future, and thus none of us will know what the DRA's plan is. I doubt, however, that they will uphold the alliance to the bitter end: the Fall of Sienne. It leaves me uncertain whether to accept this proposal or reject it. But, weighing the options, in the event that they do betray us, we should still be able to face them. After all, if we refuse this proposal, we'll still be facing The Black Knight regardless, and when he is slain, the Begnion troops would be able to convince the soldiers at Tor Garen to surrender, giving us an even stronger enemy. So, I must agree with Rhys and Lucia and accept their terms." Tanith added.

"Lethe makes a good point. The Daein Revolutionary Army may easily betray us. But Tanith also makes a good point: if we were to refuse the alliance, we'd simply strengthen Begnion. You beorc have a saying: 'Give them a taste of their own medicine,' do you not? If we were to do this, that is, turn our backs on them the moment we succeed in driving away the Begnion threat and seizing a powerful fort in Begnion soil, we could prevent them from attacking us. Of course, if they were to betray us before then, I believe that Tanith is right: they would fail. So, I must support the majority on this point. We should agree to an alliance." Muarim spoke.

"My fellow hawk brethren only wish to see the conflict end. I see that both scenarios will increase our war. My advice, then, is to send messengers to warn our forts at Nuchen and Bachen to gather as many troops as they can and ready themselves for the march to Tor Garen. After we destroy the Daein Revolutionary Army, we shall make a three-way march to Tor Garen. Though the defeated troops at that barricade will join the Begnion Imperial Guard, they shall be crushed by our prepared forces. Afterwards, we can fortify the wall, and rebuild Daein. Other forces from Crimea and Gallia can repel the Begnion invasion of the latter nation, and Begnion shall be contained. Peace will return once more." Ulki spoke.

"I must say, we Phoenicians only want to see the war end, and Izuka dead. We can't kill him if we ally with the DRA, yet we can't ignore the Begnion army. So, I agree with Ulki. What he says sounds right. Personally, I wouldn't advise an alliance with those brutes." Janaff added.

"What I am more concerned about is the Begnion attack upon Gallia. However, if were to ally with the DRA, even though they are brutes, we would be able to gain a strong ally to aid us in the destruction of their advance on Tor Garen. If we succeed in beating back their army and capturing a key point of their military in Begnion soil, that alone would force Begnion to withdraw its forces in Gallia. Lethe is right that the DRA is extremely likely to betray us, but as Tanith pointed out, we could take them on in the event that they do. It is better that we free Gallia from an attack so that we have another front to engage Begnion, or, simply, to end this war quicker. If the DRA betrays us, we can reorganize some troops to guard our newly captured position while we smite them. Once we are victorious, we can use the captured territory as a bargaining chip to talk Begnion into ending the war, and thus, we shall have peace restored. Is that not the best outcome?" Lyre spoke.

"Anywho, all we're talking about are speculations, merely speculations. We can't tell what will happen in the future. All we can truly be certain of is what is happening right now. The DRA are weak. They are crumbling, yet they are the only faction taking on Begnion's full might. If we help lower the burden, we can keep Begnion away. After we ally with the DRA, we will immediately turn our backs on them and smite them. Once that's settled, we'll be victorious, and Daein will be reunited under one banner. We can worry about facing Begnion completely later. That's what I think." Ranulf said.

"As a General of Crimea, I came here with the intention of reuniting Daein under one banner and keeping Begnion away. Ranulf's plan accomplishes both of these goals, so I personally vouch for his idea. I will support this alliance, if for a short time." Geoffrey added.

"Crimea is here to reunite Daein. We are not here to fight with Begnion. I suggest that we continue informing Zolath that we are undecided. As he's distracted by this news, we get our allies at the two forts to strike Tor Garen and capture it. We will make a deal with the Begnion army, giving them large amounts of gold and other precious things to bribe their commanders into retreating, and after we destroy the DRA, we can fortify Tor Garen, crown Haar, and reunite Daein. We don't even have to unite with these ruffians. That is my opinion." Titania spoke.

"I must disagree. As a General of the DLF, I know that our best bet would be to woo the hearts of many of the soldiers of the DRA. There are a large percentage of them who have been impressed into the army. They were forced to join by The Black Knight. Allowing the DLF to meet them will help convince many of them to join our ranks. If we make an alliance with the DRA, it would further their incentive and help make an excuse for them to rejoin the ranks of the DLF. This, of course, would be in our best interests. Any betrayal the DRA might make would occur after we defeat Begnion, and, with lesser troops, they will find it even more difficult to survive against our combined army. We will prevail. I would not hesitate to accept this alliance if I were you, nephew." Tauroneo spoke.

"Well, it looks like the majority support this alliance. All I can say is that we should always be alert, no matter what you choose. Personally, I think an alliance is a good thing for us, but Lethe makes a good point. All I can say is that we must always be vigilant, no matter what path you choose, General." Nasir muttered.

"General Ike. You are the Commanding General of the Crimean Royal Guard. I am the Duchess of the Daein Liberation Front. Please consider my opinion. General Tauroneo speaks the truth, and though Lethe makes a valid objection, I must agree with the majority that we could take them on if they betray us. I request that you accept their terms for an alliance." Jill cried.

"Well, Soren? What do you have to say?" Ike looked at him.

"Hmn, Ranulf was right. You are all making speculations. But I think that it is even worse: you are all assuming that you know Daein or Begnion's intentions. None of us know what The Black Knight or Sanaki are thinking. We do not know what their agenda is. Neither Reyson nor Leanne are here, and because of that, we cannot read any of the DRA officer's minds. Because of this, any move we make must be scrutinized with extreme caution. As Nasir put it, we must be vigilant at all times. Thus, we cannot trust that Begnion will agree to any terms, Lyre or Titania, nor can we consider it safe to ally with the DRA... Yet, though Lucia sounds a little naive, she makes an interesting point. The Daein Revolutionary Army is desperate. It is clinging on to its last hope for survival. Lethe calls it 'borrowing our strength,' and I must agree. Therefore, we'd be spending more time and energy helping the DRA keep its survival rather than ourselves.

"Yet, Tauroneo makes a good point. If we ally with the DRA, and do just that, let them borrow our strength, we have a high chance of wooing those former DLF soldiers and the soldiers within the DRA that have doubtful loyalty due to the DRA's tyranny. That would be extremely beneficial for us, and, depending on the number of soldiers, might pay off or even make us stronger than we were before the alliance. That in itself is quite worth the cost. However, nothing is certain. We might not gain any additional soldiers, or we might find the DRA traitors much sooner than we expect, or there might be more events that will plague our plans. We're going to have to go through speculations again! Thus, considering all the options and all that might happen, I can say this: an alliance is better than no alliance. It keeps the DRA off our backs to some degree for the time being. I borrow your phrasing again, Nasir: We must keep constant vigilance. Whatever fate may throw at us, we must be prepared for those sudden strikes. I think this alliance helps more than hurts us, so I must support it." Soren advised.

"Very well. We shall accept their proposal for an alliance. Men, the DRA are no longer our primary enemy. They can be considered allied units now. Begnion is our common foe, and it is Begnion whom we must fight!" Ike told his troops.

Ike and Zolath spoke to each other later that night. The next morning, the two armies marched side by side, albeit reluctantly. However...

"I'm sorry, Izuka. They would not agree to an alliance without conditions from their side."

"No! Not my precious creations. Do you not admire or appreciate my handiwork?!"

"Of course I do, Master Izuka, but you know the Daein Revolutionary Army's plight. We have to make an alliance with them. We have no choice but to comply to their terms, just as they have complied to ours."

"Curses... I have to destroy all my precious creations... Curses!"

"Funny, I thought you once detested and feared them."

"Stupid Zolath! I still do... Yet... I care about the work I spent in creating them. And now, they must be destroyed! It's too painful for me!" Izuka groaned.

And you thought it could never happen, didn't you?

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	30. The Great Crime

Remember when I said that Stefan had a reason to hate the laguz? You will learn of that reason very soon.

Chapter 29: The Great Crime

Stefan was strolling through the sandy Grann Desert. Bastian was staggering behind him.

"What is this? Is this wretched place where you hail from?" The poetic sage panted.

"Yes, Bastian. We are almost there." Stefan replied, his sword drawn.

"What are you doing? Are there enemies here, of all places?"

"Yes, the murderers prowl in this area. Tormod once led them. I allied with him solely to go to Ike's army, so I could find Soren and convince him to join me. I failed to convince him, but I got you to help me instead. You'll work fair enough. The effect of what you will see soon should be enough to convince you to aid me."

"I do not understand what you are saying."

"Trust me, you will soon enough."

Bastian shrugged and followed Stefan as he approached the northeast dunes of Grann Desert.

Stefan hiked over a dune, while Bastian trudged behind.

"I take it you did not exercise much in Crimea, Count."

"Stop mocking me. It is illogical for you to insult one whom you call an ally, for it would make me mad, and I would stop being willing to help you, no?"

"If you would take it that way, Count, I wonder how you could stop me. You released me from the prison, and helped me find my Vague Katti. Do you have any idea how powerful this sword is? With a single blow, I could take your life. Could you do the same with that Elwind tome?" Stefan sneered.

"Very well... You win... Now, what were you going to show me?" Bastian sighed.

"It's right over the next dune..."

After a little while, Bastian finally made it to the top of the dune. He gasped: "What could have happened here?!"

Before him lie a huge band of ruins. Houses ripped apart, and several dead bodies. Each of those bodies had a distinguished mark on them. "Brandeds? They were all... brandeds, living here? That must mean you are...!" Bastian glanced at Stefan in shock.

"Yes. I am also a Branded." Stefan smirked. He turned and faced his back to Bastian. Taking off his shirt, Stefan showed Bastian his mark, and redressed himself.

"My, my... You Brandeds were butchered like this. By who, or what?" Bastian muttered.

"By sub-humans, or, as you'd call them, laguz. They butchered so many of my people... I could never forgive them! I tried to kill that cat, Lethe, who once fought beside us in the Great War. She tried to ensnare Soren into a romantic trap. I think you ought to know this: Soren is also a Branded. But he acts as a traitor when he engages in an affair with that sub-human, Lethe. Do you see why I want to kill every single sub-human I see from now on?" Stefan asked Bastian.

"Yes, yes I do see... Stefan, I never knew that your kind would suffer so... Again..." Bastian looked at the corpses. "... Are there any survivors?" He asked.

"Thankfully, there are many. Come, this is only one of our three towns in the Desert. The survivors of this town, who fought off the sub-humans and killed several of them, fled to the neighboring town of Izkor, who was attacked as well, but beat off the attack. You see here, those are sub-human corpses. They shall not rot, nor shall the remains of my people. They will stay here as a testament to the laguz's crimes against us!" Stefan replied.

After a short hike, they saw more huts. A man emerged from one of them and ran towards them.

"Stefan! You have come back!"

"Yes, Isaac. And I bring a friend."

"Is he one of ours? Has he seen that awful carnage? Those Sub-Humans! How I would love to kill them all! My sister... She was only 18. Those things tore her apart! If only I had a Laguzslayer..." Isaac muttered.

"Those swords are hard to find outside of Daein. We'll have to conduct a raid later. Regardless, yes, Bastian has seen the carnage, but he is not a Branded. He is a Beorc." Stefan replied.

"A beorc? Why would a beorc understand our plight?"

Other Branded began to emerge from their homes. Hearing that Bastian was a Beorc made them uneasy.

"Stefan, you bring a Beorc to our village. Why? He is a mage, is he not? Our sub-human blood makes us susceptible to his attacks, especially if he's using Bolgagon or the like... No, it's Elwind... Better... We could still take him..." Another villager spoke.

"No, Richard, don't consider doing such a thing. Bastian here is a friend. He could easily convince Crimea to join us in our cause." Stefan replied.

"How? Crimea is a Beorc nation who likes Laguz. We could not hunt Sub-Humans there." Richard replied.

"But Bastian here is a Count. He could use his reputation to gather a Crimean army to aid us. We can show them the Dead Grounds, and they shall help us kill the sub-humans." Stefan spoke.

"Very well, then, Bastian. You are welcome here in Izkor. I will inform the others at Shizzof." Isaac spoke.

"No need, I'll go there. Bastian, come with me." Stefan motioned for Bastian to follow him.

And so, Bastian made himself known as a 'Branded Friend.' He decided to stay with the Branded, helping them increase their resistance against magical attacks, so that they could fight the many Laguz Friend mages and defeat them.

And so, the Branded readied themselves for their dream of revenge.

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	31. Securing the Border

(I intended to post this chapter later, but I had news. I almost cancelled my Muarim account because people on the board were too stupid, and I thought it best to leave the site before things got personal. But now I know better. Please see my updated profile for more details.)

Chapter 30: Securing the Border

Soren, Lethe, and all of the 'veterans' of Ike's army could hardly believe that Ike was willing to march side by side with The Black Knight. The one most surprised by this arrangement was Titania. Her feelings for Greil had not yet subsided, and she still found it difficult for the man who killed him to be an ally.

Tauroneo, remembering all the times he and Gawain had together, could not bring himself to call Gawain's killer "comrade" or "friendly." All he could think of were that they were business partners, to that effect. He too wished to lance The Black Knight in the back for Greil's sake, but his composure and dignity as a Knight of Daein controlled him and allowed him to remain calm, or, at least, look that way.

Both Tauroneo and Titania could not believe that Ike, the boy whom both of them swore to protect, would have the forgiveness, or, as they angrily thought, stupidity and shamelessness to stand beside The Black Knight as comrades in battle. The two of them, inwardly fuming, tried their best to remain cheerful... Until Tauroneo decided to talk to Titania during the midday meal.

"So, General Titania, I hear that ever since Gawain, or Greil, as you have known him, fled from Daein and arrived at Gallia, you have stood by him and cared for Ike and Mist. I must express my gratitude." Tauroneo greeted her.

"It was nothing, General. Greil was a powerful warrior. Whatever assistance I provided him was not essential for his survival. He alone could have taken on hundreds of enemy pursuers. Yet, General, because of you, he was not pursued by armies of thousands. Rather, he escaped safely with his wife and children. Though you alone could not stop the occasional bands of assassins who would attempt to hunt Greil down, you were able to keep the worst of them from besieging us. For that, I must thank you, Tauroneo." Titania replied.

"Sigh, if only Greil had been less confident, then we wouldn't be having this day. But because of his death, Ike has become stronger. Yet, the boy is still a fool. The Black Knight is not to be trusted, yet Ike recognizes him as an ally. I supported the alliance thinking that we would simply make The Black Knight's plan backfire and gain reinforcements. I did not anticipate that Ike would actually take the words fully and consider The Black Knight as a friend. It is sickening..." Tauroneo shook his head.

"Yes... And I was against this alliance from the beginning. Now I guess you understand my view." Titania muttered.

"Well, I still hope we can gain some allies, but how can we convince Ike that his father's killer is not someone to be trusted? And why does he not understand this? He is 22 years old! He ought to be fully aware of what is going on! Why is he so foolish?" Tauroneo sighed.

"... Tauroneo, do not despair about him so readily. To tell the truth, I shook my head in sorrow once when he once recklessly ran off with Boyd to save Mist and Rolf against my orders, forcing Rhys and Oscar to follow them in concern for their safety. But he has proven to be more and more mature. Could this be merely a ploy of his to trick The Black Knight into a sense of security, then finally striking the villain when the time is right?" Titania offered.

"Well, Titania, I hope so. I guess the only thing we can be certain of is that the both of us will always watch his back. We would personally stand between The Black Knight and Ike when the time comes, right?" Tauroneo asked.

"You need to ask? Of course we would!" Titania answered.

Meanwhile, The Black Knight and Ike arrived at Tor Garen. The DRA troops, seeing DLF forces approaching them, attacked, but The Black Knight immediately appeared and convinced them to see the DLF as allied reinforcements, not as foes. The two commanders tore through the enemy lines, with their friendly allied units merely helping take out a few more foes. The two of them basically destroyed a large portion of the Begnion army. All the Begnion troops could do was shake in fear when they saw the pair.

The Black Knight and Ike split up, knowing that either could take on at least two enemy battalions and come out unscathed. Ike slashed to and fro, until he saw an enemy Berserker approaching him.

"Hiya! My name is Kris! Sorry to meet you like this, little fella, but I'm an officer of Begnion. I came from Daein, but your DRA friends scared the heck outta me. Well, since you're a friend of them, I'll have to take you down. Can't let anyone else get hurt." Kris lifted the Killer Axe he was carrying.

"Hold! I am General Ike of the Crimean Royal Guard. Our main ally is the DLF. We're only standing beside the DRA to fight off these Begnion besiegers. I assure you that we have no other ties to the DRA whatsoever. In fact, for a long time, we were their foes." Ike replied.

"But you're friendly with 'em now, aren't you? Well, I wanted to help the DLF, but they didn't have any bases in my area. I guess I won't go all out on you, then. Besides, you're just a kid, what was I thinkin'?" Kris shook his head as he switched to a Silver Axe.

"Very well. Come and try me." Ike replied, holding the Seven Star.

Kris swung his axe at Ike, but Ike blocked the blow with his sword. The two continued clashing like this for several minutes, until Ike suddenly rushed forward and slashed Kris on the abdomen. Kris gagged and collapsed.

Ike stood in front of Kris as the latter was downed. "... Well, go ahead, boy. You won, and we all know what happens to the loser in war. Just get it over with." Kris looked at him.

"Your blows were powerful, Kris, more powerful than any of the Berserkers I ever faced. Heck, I have one in my army right now, but even he is no match for you. Why don't you join me?" Ike asked. Kris merely stared at him as though he was an idiot. "Wait, why are you staring at me like that? Did I say something wrong?" Ike added.

"Of course something's wrong. You're not trustworthy. You call yourself both a friend and an enemy of the DRA. Which statement should I believe?" Kris glared at him.

"Do you get the statement that we're friends for now, but we will soon be enemy's again?" Ike crossed his arms.

"This is all a trick? You sayin' that you have no ties at all?" Kris asked.

"We're tied to the DLF, but not to the DRA. We're only doing this because both armies have to fight Begnion. Once we've made sure that Begnion can't attack Daein, then we of the CRG and DLF will destroy the DRA." Ike replied.

"Oh, I get it! Well, then, then how will you make sure that all those guys from the DRA who join you won't get killed by The Black Knight?" Kris asked.

"You'll see, Kris. Just trust me. Here." Ike handed him a full Vulnerary pack.

"Thanks! Well, I trust you, so you can count me in!" Kris smiled.

With Kris by his side, Ike was able to clear out the remaining Begnion forces in the area. He immediately returned to camp, where he found The Black Knight waiting for him.

"Kris, head for that leftmost tent. You'll be bunking there with Largo." Ike told him.

As Kris hurried off, The Black Knight addressed Ike: "I see you've earned us a new ally. Excellent. Soon, Begnion will fall to its knees before us!"

"... I hope so... Well, what's the plan?"

"Izuka and Soren should have thought of one. Unfortunately, our two tacticians seem not to be able to come to terms with one another. The two actually got into a fight and destroyed one of my army's precious tents."

"That's not good. Should I get you a new tent? Or even make Soren apologize?"

"That's not necessary." The Black Knight waved his hand. "I have more important matters to think of. As for now, all I can advise we do next is to attack the Fort south of us, Fort Dunche, one of two large strongholds guarding North Begnion."

"I'll take that into consideration. Let's have both of our armies enter a war meeting where you can present this plan. Perhaps with more brains behind this, we shall succeed." Ike nodded.

"I see. Very well. Go and fetch your advisors. I'll fetch mine. We'll meet in my tent in two hours." The Black Knight replied.

Ike hurried over to Soren's tent. The latter was studying from Calill's Thoron tome.

"Soren?"

"Yes, Ike?"

"Why did you have to get into a fight with Izuka?"

"The guy was referring to Lethe, Ranulf, and our other laguz companions as sub-humans. He was getting irritating. I tried to get back on the main topic: Destroying Begnion, but he refused and cast an Elfire at me instead. As you can imagine, we got into a fight and I swept his tent away." Soren sighed.

"Well, then... I understand your emotions, but try to keep them in check. You yourself recommended this alliance, so you know how important it is." Ike replied.

"... Very well." Soren went back to his book.

Ike rolled his eyes and moved on to the next tent.

In two hours, the advisors of both armies found themselves in The Black Knight's tent. Izuka and Soren continued glaring at each other.

"Disrespectful, haughty whelp! I will show him how great my power is compared to his. I am a master of Fire. He is a master of Wind. Fire has the advantage over Wind, so in our next duel, I should be able to kill him." Izuka muttered to Zolath.

"Do not say such things. We are allies, now, and Soren is quite a talent. If you two get into a fight, how will this alliance survive? Furthermore, what benefit is there for attacking your own ally? Get a hold of yourself, Izuka! You are man, not a boy." Zolath whispered frantically.

"... You are not my mother. Do not even think of scolding me any longer! You do not understand my great mind... You have no idea of what I am capable of! You..." Izuka continued ranting while Zolath sighed and looked away.

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(This chapter was formerly dedicated to the Muarim on the message boards. He's back!)


	32. Rivalry

(Those of you who read my news on the last chapter, it's changed. Muraim is back, because new hope revealed itself!)

Chapter 31: Rivalry

"Comrades, we are gathered here to prepare for our advance into Begnion itself. The further we go, the less likely Begnion will be able to retaliate. Glory to Daein!" The Black Knight raised his sword.

"Um, yes, glory to Daein." Kieran, Oscar, and Geoffrey uneasily raised their weapons in response, along with the others.

"Now, Master Izuka, please inform our comrades of our ploy." The Black Knight nodded.

"Yes, well, please look at this map. We are located here, slightly south of Tor Garen. Many of our allies are still at the fortification, ready to assist us should we get into trouble. If you listen to me at every turn, I'm certain that we won't need them." Izuka smirked.

Soren's eye twitched. Many of the Crimean and Daein Liberation Front soldiers were at Tor Garen. Izuka was referring to them as 'unnecessary.' "How dare he refer to my family in such a haughty manner!" The wind sage thought.

Izuka smirked a bit, and continued: "Now, we are going to attack this fort, Fort Dunche. The dunces who are guarding it are some of Begnion's trained troops. That shows you how pathetic they are. Regardless, if any of you do something pathetic, those fools might actually have a chance at killing you. That is why it is so imperative to listen to me."

Soren glanced at Ike. "Is Ike really willing to listen to this?" He thought.

Ike glanced back. "Stop staring and start listening." Ike's glare communicated as well as words could.

Soren rolled his eyes and focused his gaze on Izuka.

"Now, the Fort is located close to our position, but for we all know, Begnion troops could be hiding anywhere. Thus, we veterans will have to travel close together for mutual protection, while our soldiers will form a defensive perimeter around us. Our Knights and Generals will travel in front, and though this will make the march slower, it will also provide us with a wall in which we can engage their forces." Izuka spoke.

"Now, Master Izuka, you have explained to us what appears to be your orders. Is there anything left to discuss?" Soren burst out. Ike glanced at him in shock.

"Har har. You find a flaw in my plan, Master Soren? Tell me, what is it?" Izuka looked at him with an air of contempt.

"Tell me, Master, why do we have Paladins in this army if we will not use them to their fullest potential?" Soren snapped.  
"What do you mean?" Izuka asked in shock.

"Unlike Knights and Generals, Paladins are swift and can easily be used for hit and run tactics. I understand that you would fear an ambush, I would as well, but why don't we use Paladins to clear out as many enemy hideouts as they can while our main army marches with their Knights and Generals at the front? Your plans seem to show the Paladins acting as a rear guard. Doubtless we should leave a few there, but the majority of our Mounted Knights should be at the front." Soren pointed out.

"Interesting tactic. No wonder why you are the tactician for the Crimean Royal Guard. I must say, however, that I believe that Paladins would only get themselves into trouble. After all, weren't your two Paladins, Kieran and Cakil, trapped in their own reckless charge? Paladins are too hasty and impulsive. They would only get themselves killed, unless you want our friendly units killed." Izuka sneered.

"Izuka! This is a meeting between allies, not a quarrel between enemy forces. Do not attempt to break the alliance with such tactless remarks." General Zolath spoke aloud.

"Yes, now, this is a meeting, after all, not a place for one to bark orders. I suggest that we use our Paladins to clear the path for our army to march. Oscar and Titania are also Paladins, Master Izuka, but they are by no means impulsive. You are quite biased in your views toward Paladins. Regardless, we are here to discuss tactics. Now, Izuka made a good point with the Knights and Generals, so General Gatrie, General Tauroneo, and their peers will have to help us march in the front. I'd also advise for our fliers to fly to and fro between our lines, just to get themselves away from those archers, but close enough to take out some enemy units. Now, does any else have suggestions?" Soren asked.

"Well, Soren, the plans you are talking about are good and all, but what about Rhys, Mist, and the rest of the Valkyries, Priests, and Bishops? Will they have to stay close enough for the enemy Snipers to get at them?" Mia suddenly spoke.

"Hmn, you're using your brain. Good. Now, Mia, you are right that Snipers could get at them, but Rhys already has an A ranking in Staves/Light spells. He could cast Purge if he is actually attacked. As for Mist, I prefer to have her near the center of the field, anyways, to heal those who have been hit by long-range spells. The other Priests and Bishops will also be near the center. Our frontal forces will practically have only Rhys and the veteran Bishops of Palmeni Temple to heal them, for they too can cast Purge when necessary." Soren replied.

"Then... That what about enemy Sages?" Gatrie muttered.

"Just mow them down! I never heard you complain before." Soren replied.

"Gatrie... He has a point. I mean, has any Sage been able to do more than 20 damage to you? Ever?" Ilyana asked.

"Yeah, I got it..." Gatrie began to stay quiet.

"So, General Tauroneo, I trust that you do not dislike our arrangement." Soren nodded.

"You seem to be extremely skilled in the art of war, Master Soren. I have no need to critique you." Tauroneo replied.

"Yes, Soren, I don't think any of us have any complaints..." Titania nodded.

A second later, Izuka threw his hand into the air.

Soren sighed: "This is not a school for youngsters. This is a war meeting. Yes, Izuka?"

"Master Soren, it seems that you have ignored Mia's point." Izuka sneered.

"How so?"

"Our Bishops, including Rhys, are not very powerful. They could easily be killed, even if they do have Purge." Izuka smirked.

"Do you want some of this?! Come on, Rhys, he just dissed you. Go out there and pummel him with Shine!" Mia cajoled him.

"But... I don't like attacking someone who didn't attack me!" Rhys protested.

Izuka began to sneer at Rhys, and glanced at Soren.

Soren sighed. "Izuka. Do you hate me or something? You might be surprised, but I don't hate you. You are annoying, but not worthy of me focusing my attention on you. Now, I doubt those archers would be willing to put themselves in Gatrie's or Tauroneo's range in order to shoot Rhys or any of our other Bishops. That would be a waste of Longbows or Double Bows, and those attacks would be suicide. Now, if you have anything productive to suggest, I would love to hear them. If not, then please let someone else speak!" Soren spoke. Ike glared at him again.

Izuka cursed under his breath and sat down. No one else stood. General Zolath spoke: "Master Soren, you are indeed a great Tactician. I cannot think of any rebuttal or suggestion to give you."

The Black Knight nodded: "Indeed. Now, gentleman, we have our orders. We will follow Master Soren's advice and march on to Fort Dunche!"

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	33. The Sickening Truth

Chapter 32: The Sickening Truth

The United Army marched over to Fort Dunche. A Begnion army hastily rallied itself to meet them. It was defeated. The 'battle' was hardly a struggle for the CRG/DLF/DRA army. During the battle, however, Tanith found a battle report in Begnion code. After she translated it for our heroes, they all learned the horror of Begnion's might.

The Begnion Imperial Guard originally underestimated the power of the DRA, and did not anticipate the 'unholy alliance.' Instead, they sent their elite warrior, General Zelgius, and 10,000 veterans to strike Gallia.

Based on the report, they had already gotten deep into Gallia's border. Several Gallian cities, dismissed by Zelgius's scribe (who wrote the report) as 'Primitive,' were leveled to the ground. Laguz civilians were butchered on the paths, as Zelgius wanted the people of Gallia to fear Begnion, just as the people of Daein did. Clearly, whether a people were Beorc or Laguz, it did not matter to the Begnion army. They were the same: Prey, and they were to be hunted down and slain whenever possible.

"Even wolves would not slaughter all the rabbits they see. If I find Zelgius, I will tear his throat!" Lyre growled.

"And I will join you, sister. That HUMAN will not live to see another moonrise!" Lethe snarled.

"Sisters, please do not be too hasty. If our great brothers could not defeat Zelgius, then what makes you think that the two of you alone could take him on? We will have to march united, all of us laguz, in order to succeed. It... is uncertain whether you two could truly slay that savage insult to the living things of Tellius..." Muarim spoke.

"Grr... You did not join the army of Gallia! You do not know the might of my homeland!" Lethe roared in anger.

"Calm yourself. I mean no insult to the Gallian army. But considering how much damage Zelgius has done, it seems that even they have been defeated. I fear for what will happen to our siblings in your homeland, but we can do nothing to save them now." Muarim replied.

"I don't like his pessimism, but he's got a point." Ranulf sighed.

"But what, what could Begnion want from Gallia?" Cakil muttered.

"I got it!... The medallion!" Mist spoke.

"You're right! Reyson is in Gallia! Oh, no... If the Gallian army fails to stop Zelgius, he will capture the medallion and bring it back to Sienne... That would mean... No! We cannot let that happen! Everyone, march forward!" Soren shouted. Zolath, Izuka, The Black Knight, and all of the DRA were silent, and merely followed Soren's cry.  
The United Army approached Fort Blanche, a Fort located at the mouth of Weyward Valley, the Valley that led to the northern city limit of the Begnion Capital, Sienne! Our heroes marched forward with both a sense of pride and fear. They had gone this far, and there was practically no turning back. Yet... What if they were defeated here? What if they lost their lives in the greatest battle they would ever fight? All their toils would be in vain.

Even if they were to lose this fort later, the mere fact that they had succeeded in such a battle would prove that Begnion was not immortal. They had no right to look down upon their foes. This victory would prove that Crimea, Daein, and all of their allies were more powerful united than any other faction.

However, the Begnion garrison guarding the Fort were led by some of Begnion's most elite soldiers, including Zelgius's brother, Gen. Plutarch, Earl of Razia, and Gen. Sigrun, the highest ranking Falcoknight in all of Begnion.

Of course, meeting their superior officer made both General Tanith and Commander Marcia uneasy, but both knew that this was inevitable. This is the fact of war: friends are torn apart, families are left in shambles, and siblings must shed each other's blood in the name of ideals. Faced with the knowledge that their former comrade was now fighting for their bitter enemy, the Crimean Pegasus Riders found it painful to move on, but there was no turning back. This would be the turning point for all of Tellius. The fate of the Continent rested in their hands.

Kieran observed the enemy lines with contempt: "They are quite well entrenched. Even a warrior of my caliber could not cut them down. Muarim, Ranulf, I leave it to you two to rip through their lines. That is your specialty, after all."

"Are you kidding me? How could we cut through all these guys? For all we know, they could each be equipped with Laguz Lances! We'd be finished!" Ranulf hissed.

"Kieran, I'm worried. General Sigrun is very strong. She might take me down if we meet in battle..." Marcia muttered.

"Not to worry, sweet Marcia! No one will be able to harm you so long as I breathe." Kieran cheered.

"Why did she have to provoke him again?" Oscar sighed.

"Hey, Geoffrey, if you fail in this fight, Elincia might feel so painful." Mist whispered in his ear.

"Elincia?! My sweet Elincia! I shall not lose in this fight! I shall prove my worth to you!" Geoffrey yelled as he charged forward.

"The fighting's begun? Excellent! Come, Kieran! We three shall triumph over them." Cakil rode after Geoffrey. Kieran gladly followed.

Izuka glanced at Soren, and sneered: "Wasn't I right? The three of them are at it again!"

Soren glanced at Rolf: "You know how to stop them, right?" Soren asked gently.

"Uh, huh." Rolf replied. He aimed at Geoffrey's behind, and fired!

Geoffrey immediately turned around and was riding back. "ROLF! I demand to know why you shot me!" He screamed.

"You were being stupid, uncle Geoffrey." Rolf replied.

Geoffrey glanced at the boy: "I was? Oh, well then."

Since Geoffrey had ceased charging, Cakil glanced at Kieran, and the two decided to retreat.

Surveying the four, Izuka nodded: "Well, though your officers may be pathetic, at least you know how to control them. That Zolath treats me like some kind of fool, and I can never force him to stay silent." Izuka waved his hand and walked away.

Soren glanced at Izuka as he walked away: "Egotistical maniac... Perhaps I should not have vouched for this alliance. I can hardly stand him." Soren shook his head.

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	34. Forever Friends

Chapter 33: Forever Friends

Lethe, Mordecai, Lyre, Ranulf, and Muarim were glancing at the enemy formation. "Those Begnion fools, strutting along as though they have nothing to worry about, I will show them the might of us laguz!" Lethe snarled.

"It might not be a good idea to go hunting them down as of yet. Who knows what weapons they may have?" Muarim spoke.

"Lethe, you are being too eager. Killing should not be a pleasure. It is too terrible." Mordecai sighed.

"Mordecai, I do not mean to hurt you, but you are not meant for battle. You are a kind Laguz. These beorc we are fighting do not understand that. They will not hesitate to kill you. That is why my sister and I do not mind killing all of them. We'd rather protect our friends and loved ones than keep them alive. People like them, who show no desire to lessen the bloodshed, have no right to live if they wish to prolong this war." Lyre hissed.

Ranulf looked at all of them, and smirked. "Well, Muarim, let's just leave them and their bickering. I mean, don't you feel sick of Lethe's constant growling? Seriously, girl, get a hold of yourself!"

Muarim glanced at Lethe, and muttered: "Lyre, forgive me, but Ranulf is right about your sister."

Lyre smirked and replied softly: "I know he is, but don't let her hear anything."

Lethe glared at all of them. "Fools... Mere fools..." She scampered off.

"There she goes. Looks like Soren's the only one willing to put up with her."

"You know, Ranulf, sometimes you go overboard."

"Really, now, Lyre? I thought you used to like it when I'd speak up for you."

Lyre smirked. "Well, that was then. Now, I don't feel beaten anymore. Anyways, don't you think my sister is also right? Those Begnion troops seem to disregard our very existence. Look how cocky they are! They aren't even setting up ballistas or anything."

Ranulf sighed: "Still, she's so annoying. Can't she at least try to lighten up for once? I mean, Soren did it, and he..."

"You seem to know a lot about Soren." Lyre muttered.

"Well, kind of. We fought together in the Great War. Back then, he was a lot more tense and untactful. It was kinda difficult to get along with him, yet Ike managed it. So did Stefan, but Stefan was always crazy." Ranulf sighed.

"It worries me to think that Stefan is still out there... But I doubt he could really hurt any of us. I mean, he did tell Mordecai that he hated his own nation. I would bet money that he's not helping the Begnion army right now." Lyre glanced at Ranulf.

"Well, anyways, you seem a lot more curious about Soren." Ranulf observed.

"Of course. Of all the years I have been with my sister, I have never seen any other male able to have any effect on her, yet, Soren alone has proven to be quite an influence on Lethe. I'm curious as to how he did it." Lyre purred.

"I'm hurt! Wasn't it me who bought her that green ribbon?"

"Well, yeah, but you haven't seen her change much because of you, has she? You might be a close family friend, but other than that, she doesn't seem willing to consider your objections about her behavior. But his Soren fellow suddenly comes in and changes her... How did he do it?"

"Well, Lyre, I guess that is one of life's greatest unsolved mysteries..." Ranulf chuckled.

Lyre nodded, but spotted something in the corner of her eye: "Hey, you two, why are you guys leaving? Stay and chat with us!"

Muarim and Mordecai exchanged glances: "Well, we figured that the two of you might want some time alone." Muarim replied.

"Wait! We're not..." Lyre was cut off by Mordecai.

"It would not be right for us to stay. Besides, it's about time that Ranulf and you were... Alone together. We will not bother you." Mordecai spoke. The two quickly scurried away.

"Gah! Those two, making such assumptions... No wonder why Lethe always seems so irritated."

"It's funny, Lyre. You are sometimes more mature then Lethe, yet you don't complain about her comments as much as I do... As long as they aren't directed at you." Ranulf purred.

"Well, she and I are quite similar, really. We both detest so many idiots out there, and neither of us are willing to take other people's manure. We are both so headstrong and determined. Some may call it obdurate, but I call it resolute. Besides, we're siblings. Of course we are similar. Should we be anything else?" Lyre glanced at Ranulf.

"You know, both of you kind of humor me. I've known you two for how long now? Fourteen years? I was barely a kitten when I first met Lethe. To tell the truth, you two have always inspired me to think about practically everything. Both of you seem so well-versed in your studies, and share such passion for Gallia. I mean, I might be patriotic and all, but I'm not nearly as willing to stand up and howl the pack into a frenzy, but the two of you seem just perfect here. It's as though this is your niche or something." Ranulf purred.

"Don't give me that! You always told me that you thought I wasn't ready for battle, not like Lethe. That's why she scolded me for joining the army. I'm much more comfortable back at home, caring for everyone and helping out with chores. I might be strong compared to most females, but I'm just not built for war as well as Lethe. But that won't stop me from killing these Begnion fools and saving Gallia!" Lyre growled.

"Yeah, well. I think we ought to give Muarim a proper look around Gallia. We should let him see what kind of place his kind lives in." Ranulf spoke.

Lyre had a mischievous look on her face. "Not only that! Maybe I could set him up with Kyarah."

"Kyarah? Are you kidding me? Kyarah would annoy him to death!" Ranulf laughed.

"I'm serious! They are both tigers, and I think they're perfect for one another. Muarim always looks so sad... Even worse than Mordecai at times. Maybe if he had a mate, he'd feel better." Lyre sighed.

"You and Lethe both seem to fret over Muarim. Don't worry about him. The big cat can take care of himself." Ranulf replied.

At that moment, Relane appeared and ran over to the pair.

"Relane! It's been so long!" Lyre greeted her.

"Indeed it has." Relane smiled.

"Relane, I never knew that you and Zihark actually were a couple... Once upon a time..."

"Well, Ranulf, I really did not want anyone to know. I did not know how you would react. Yet, all of you have been so supportive! Especially Lethe! And I used to think that Lethe hated Beorc. She has changed."

"Well, I think she changed BECAUSE of Ike and Soren."

"Ike? Soren? I barely know those two. Could you inform me about them?"

"Well, Relane, Ike is the leader of this Crimean army. Soren is their main advisor. During the Great War, Ike was quite a polite fellow. He showed no sign of animosity toward laguz whatsoever. Soren, on the other hand... Has always been moody. He once called Mordecai a 'sub-human.'"  
"What?!" Relane glanced at Ranulf in shock. "But... But why? Why Mordecai?"

"Upsetting, I know, but regardless, Lethe saw how Ike and all of his comrades, including Soren, began to change their views about Laguz. I think Lethe was touched by Ike's conviction, which is why she invited him to Gallia."

"Wow. Lethe invites this Ike fellow to Gallia? He must have won her respect indeed." Relane nodded.

"As for Soren, well, Soren has shown a remarkable change in personality. First, he has shown himself to be much more tactful, caring, respectful, and tolerant, all in only four years. Furthermore, he and Lethe have, well, become involved... Zihark knows about them, and he's devoted himself to helping them."

"This Soren fellow is Lethe's chosen?"

"Yes."

"Interesting..."

"Furthermore, he is a Branded."

"Really? Then Lethe truly has changed..."

"Well, Relane, you can't expect people to stay the same forever. I anticipated that Soren would be the same, but I was dead wrong. It's inevitable that Lethe would change as well." Ranulf replied.

"True... Perhaps I should speak to Soren."

"I wouldn't advise it, not when he's studying, or mad..." Lyre replied.

"Regardless, he is Lethe's chosen! Surely, he must be a good person. I know Lethe. She is quite intelligent. She would not choose a mere handsome brute or a rich and cunning snob. Of all the males of Tellius, Beorc, Laguz, and Branded alike, she chose Soren. That fact proves that Soren must have great good in his character. I would trust Lethe's judgement with my life. I am certain that she has not betrayed my trust in choosing Soren." With that, Relane bounded off.

"Wait, Relane! Darn it! Soren 'll get annoyed at her and make her cry or something... Oh, Ranulf, what are we to do?" Lyre sighed.

Relane ran as fast as she could for Soren's tent. She saw the tent flap open, and Lethe emerged. Lethe saw Relane, and her eyes nearly bulged out of her sockets. Lethe gestured to Relane to be quiet, and the two of them scurried into a meadow some distance away. There, several yards from Soren's tent, they could talk without him hearing.  
"Soren may have good ears, but he can't hear us here. Relane, why have you come?"

"What do you mean, Lethe? I want to speak to Soren."

"Hah, I'm sorry, Relane, but Soren isn't like Zihark. He's a little... Difficult to deal with at times. You... You're so different from me. You are kind, considerate, loving, and passionate about people. I'm not saying that Soren's never like that but, it's just that, knowing how you are, you two might not be able to get along. " Lethe told Relane.

"Lyre said the same..."

"Then listen to her! She's not always wrong, you know."

"I think, as Soren's chosen, you are not giving him much of a chance..."

"No, Soren is the way he is. You are how you are. I am your dear old friend. I have no intention of having your feelings hurt by him."

"Lethe, I am not weak."

"No, but your threshold for insults is not sufficient to deal with Soren."

"What do you mean?"

"Let's put it this way: if everyone you knew in the past treated you as though you were nothing, as though seeing you was a curse that blinded their eyes for eternity, how would you feel? How would you deal with the world? From an early age, Soren, being a Branded, was despised and left to die by many of our laguz siblings in Gallia. Later, when he gained some strength and went to Crimea with Greil, Ike's father, he was still feared by a large amount of people who could tell what a Branded looks like. Soren's life has been rough, Relane, but he is not like you. He is not optimistic by any means. He is quite cynical and reserved at times. You are quite the opposite.

"I have seen firsthand how Soren has dealt with optimists who prove to have conflicting views to his own. He has shown them cruelty, the same kind of cruelty that others readily threw at him. But who can blame him? Only a handful of people outside of the Greil Mercenaries and the warriors of the Great War have shown him kindness. When Soren snaps at you, it is not intended to be an insult to your worth as a living thing. Rather, he cares enough about you to inform you of your error, even if his expression is quite untactful. When he sees that people whom he cares about are extreme optimists, he fears that they will get themselves hurt, or killed quite easily, so he wants to inform them of their error. Of course, his attempt is 'rewarded' with cruelty, since the person he tried to convince interprets his goodwill as malevolence.

"You, Relane, are not like Soren. You are kind and friendly to all people, but knowing Soren, he doubts people's kindness. For too long he has seen cruelty, and he still believes that those who are kind are actually trying to use him for their own devices. Only when they prove to have no ill intent does he trust them. Though he may not think the same for you, I still worry that you have not seen one who has suffered like him. I've seen how you are when people make fun of you. You can hardly handle it. Soren's harsh phrasing may easily make you feel insulted, and I fear that you two would not get along. You would not know how to deal with him, so I'd advise you to keep your distance."

"Lethe, if you would think of an old friend like this, then I'd better leave."

"What? Are you mad at me for trying to help you?"

"No, and yes. I understand that you wish to keep me from harm, but I can care for myself. I am no kitten. You need not worry about me. Zihark has told me of the vision the three of you plan to uphold, a vision that I am quite eager to support. Why do you insist on stopping me from speaking to Soren? Zihark has told me about Soren, that he is quite a smart fellow, though he is quite stern. I know you, Lethe. You tend to assume the worst about people, yet Soren is your chosen. I know that he must have many virtues in order to earn that right. I am not afraid. Besides, I am doing this for your own good. You might need plenty of people to observe Soren to see if he truly is worthy... Let me go see him."

Relane scuttled over to Soren's tent. There, the sage was still studying Calill's Thoron tome. Relane tapped her foot on the floor.

"Hmn? And you are?" Soren glanced up.

"Pardon me for not introducing myself earlier. I am Relane, a corporal in Lyre's unit."

"Relane... Are you engaged with our Colonel Zihark?"

Relane blushed slightly. "Yes..."

"Very well. Why are you here?"

"I need to speak to you about Lethe."

"Lethe? What is wrong? Is she well?"

"Yes, but..."

"Well, I'm busy, so could you make it quick?"

"Soren! I am no threat to you! Zihark, Lyre, and Lethe have told me everything! Open your eyes. Try to see this world for what it is: a world of both evil and good. If you blind yourself from seeing the good in the world, you will never know how many comrades are waiting in unfamiliar areas. You were hurt, Soren. You were despised and abandoned by many who knew you, or assumed to know you. But what about the people you have met in the last five years? Would you have won Lethe had you remained so stubborn? Would you have found friends like Rhys, Lyre, Zihark, Muarim, Ranulf, Calill, and, perhaps, Stefan had you retained your hatred for the world? It's time to move on, Soren! How can you help the Branded if you yourself do not get over your own pain? How can you make anything better if you refuse to allow people to understand you, to sympathize with you, and to be willing to stand beside you? Open your heart. Open your mind. Fix your ego. You are a man. Lethe, who used to make torturing suitors and potential mates a sport, chose you to be her mate. You are a wise man. Whole armies depend on your mind alone to keep them alive and victorious. You are a good man. Entire nations become benevolent and glorious when you are the main advisor for their thrones. Look at how far you've come, little branded! From that hurt child in Gallia to the great scholar of today. Lift your head up high, Soren. Show the world who you are: Soren, Prime Minister of Crimea, Chief Advisor for both the Crimean Royal Guard and the Daein Liberation Front, Laguz Friend, and an irreplaceable comrade to all who know him well." Relane practically shouted at him.

Soren looked at her, too shocked to move. Relane's eyes seemed so maternal, it shocked him. "So this is Zihark's mate, and Lethe's dear friend. I see why." Soren thought. Zihark had always acted as though Relane was lovable and kind but emotionally weak. But he seemed to be too paranoid. Relane was just as resolute and passionate as Lethe or Lyre. He continued to gaze into her eyes. Little did both of them know, Lethe, Lyre, Ranulf, and even Zihark had overheard them.

"Wow... Relane... She's grown so much stronger. Enough to scold Soren." Zihark chuckled softly.

"Yes... It's amazing. Relane, too, has grown." Lethe glanced at the tent.

"... Well, I guess even I underestimated her. I'm her commanding officer, too!" Lyre spoke.

"Well, should we bother them?" Ranulf asked.

"I would be glad to." Lethe purred as she approached the pair.

Soren was still stunned, and Relane could only stare at him as Lethe herself entered the tent. Before either could speak, Lethe purred: "I heard everything."

"Lethe... And you were worried that I couldn't speak to him!" Relane beamed.

"Well, I personally can't blame her. After all, the last thing I'd like to see is you unhappy." Zihark smiled as he, too stepped into the tent.

"Let's take this outside. I have plenty of things here that cannot afford to be messy." Soren spoke as he approached the tent's entrance.  
"So, Lethe, Soren, you know of what happened to Zihark and I. Soren, I understand that you suffered dearly as a child. I do not want that to happen for mine. The four of us will have to come up with a plan, to allow the branded to have some dignity in this new world. If we were to find the branded that Stefan lives with in the desert, than perhaps we can work with them to try to help people to become more tolerant." Relane spoke.

"But, with Stefan missing, and Bastian missing with him, I'm worried that something must have happened to the Branded. Stefan wouldn't allow Bastian to follow him if he wasn't planning to use Crimea's government to help him with some scheme. It must be something serious." Lyre spoke.

"Whatever it is, we'll have to worry about it later. Now, we have a battle to win." Ranulf spoke as he saw the Crimean Royal Guard flag begin to emerge from the gate.

"They're beginning the fight already? Quick, everyone! Let's go see what Ike wants us to do." Soren said.

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	35. The Battle of Fort Blanche

(News: I joined the Temple of Kraden. It's a fun place!)

This chapter gets depressing. That is, if Sigrun's one of your favorite characters.

Chapter 34: The Battle of Fort Blanche

"Alright, everybody. The Begnion Imperial Guard has prepared themselves for our arrival. Sisters of the Crimean Pegasus Knights, I know that you feel apprehensive for attacking General Sigrun, but we have no choice. Tanith, Marcia, I entrust the task of taking her out to you both. Now, the rest of us have to deal with General Plutarch and his famous infantry units. His calvary divisions and his mages are also quite powerful, so everyone needs to do their very best. We can't afford to lose anyone! Since our scouts have not spotted any Feral Ones, (and their creator happens to be with us), there is nothing you'll have to worry about. Just do your very best. Do not hold back! Once we win this Fort, we can march onto Sienne before Zelgius arrives and win back Tellius! We're going to make it. All of you: the Crimean Royal Guard, Daein Liberation Front, Grand Phoenician Sentinels, and Elite Gallian Warriors, move out!" Ike raised Ragnell and yelled. All four armies cheered and marched toward the enemy fort.

At Teahry Plains, Ike's allies and Plutarch's warriors met in battle. General Tanith led her Crimean Pegasus Knights alongside Janaff, Ulki, and their fellow Sentinels to engage the enemy Holy Pegasus Knights. Ike and Zolath danced side by side, slashing enemies with each move. These fatal expressions of the art of swordsmanship stunned all the enemy soldiers who dared challenge the two. General Tanith got the better of her former allies in the air, taking many of then down. After the first day, the enemy was forced to retreat a few miles and regroup.

On the second day of the battle, the enemy paladins surged forward, and Oscar, Titania, Kieran, Geoffrey, and Cakil rushed to meet them. As the horsemen and women clashed, The Black Knight and General Plutarch fought in a duel. Plutarch, realizing that he could not win, fled quickly, depressing his soldiers. However, a few other enemy Generals rallied a few men and attacked Ike's supply train. Ike rushed to its rescue and dueled one of them, while overhead Tanith's fleet found Sigrun trying to aid her comrade's desperate and cowardly move. Tanith flew far ahead of her fleet and immediately abused her former superior:

"An honorable Falcoknight like you vouches for such a despicable attack! I expected more from you, General Sigrun of the Holy Pegasus Knights of Begnion! Today, you shall realize that your fleet and comrades could never withstand the combined might of the armies of Crimea, Daein, Gallia, and Phoenicis. I, General Tanith, shall make certain that Daein shall win this battle against Begnion! You shall be relieved of your command!" Tanith shouted.

Sigrun looked at Tanith with sad eyes: "Tanith, you are right. I am a coward. My friends are all cowards. You may be shocked when you hear this, but I am proud of you. You have grown so powerful in such a short time. The Begnion army lost quite a talented member of its force when you left. But please, Tanith, remember our old times as friends. Today we fight as enemies, but when either of us is slain, let us forgive the other, and let the victor not despise or belittle her foe. We fought together as honorable comrades, now let us give each other the respect that each of us deserves. Ah, it is such a pity to see you like this. But now, since war is never merciful, we must fight. Come and face me, General Tanith of the Crimean Pegasus Knights!"

The two warriors engaged each other. Ike had never seen Tanith cry after knowing her for so long, but he thought he saw the essence of a tear in her eyes. Sigrun, of course, was weeping, but she held her lance and sword firmly as she clashed with Tanith. Both had Sonic Swords that glowed an eerie green throughout the battle, and their lances struck against each other constantly.   
After several bouts, Sigrun began to flee. "Comrades! Come and help me! The enemy is too powerful!" She cried.

"No... No, I cannot let you leave. So many of my comrades have perished in the fight against Begnion. Because of Begnion, so many Daein's have suffered and died. No, I cannot let you live to see another moonrise and slay more innocents. I am sorry, Commander Sigrun, but you shall leave Tellius forever. Rest in peace." Tanith raised her Flame Lance, the gift Ike gave her, and threw it at Sigrun. The lance pierced the latter's chest.

"... Thank you... General Tanith... My comrade... My friend... Now... I can finally... Die with happiness... I will see you... In Ashera's blessed lands..." Sigrun smiled as she passed away.

"Sigrun..." Tanith shed tears. The Flame Lance reappeared in her hand.

"General Sigrun is down! We shall slay the traitor! Attack!" Major Kristie growled. She and twenty other Pegasus and Falco Knights flew straight for Tanith.

"I am outnumbered, and exhausted. There is a DRA Sniper with several archers there... And he's stationed at a Killer Ballista. I'm sure that I can borrow their strength to protect me." Tanith flew toward the Daein Revolutionary Army troops, tired from her tearful duel.

However, as she approached them, the Sniper picked up a dispatch from one of The Black Knight's messengers. "What? Must we do this? It is so dishonorable, but, since he wills it, this must be done. Men, kill her!" The Sniper ordered.

The archers fired volleys of arrows at Tanith. Tanith was caught off guard, but before she could retaliate against the traitors, Kristie and her fleet arrived. As Tanith tried to fight against her enemy, her own fleet and the Phoenician warriors saw her in trouble, but they were too late. In the thick of the aerial battle, the Sniper aimed the Killer Ballista at Tanith, and fired! The bolt flew for the General, but her Pegasus, Charles, realized his master's plight and reared itself in mid air, facing vertically upward from the ground. Because of this, the bolt struck Charles in the neck, completely missing Tanith. Charles died instantly, without any pain, and Tanith was thrown from her saddle. As Tanith plummeted to the ground, Ike shouted and stopped his duel with the enemy General. He rushed toward Tanith, and even though the enemy General threw a short spear and struck him, Ike ignored his wound and leapt to save her. He caught Tanith just before she hit the ground, and the two landed on the earth nearby. The united armies were caught off guard, and began to panic, but Generals Titania and Tauroneo immediately restored order by ordering a massive charge. As Charles's corpse hit Gatrie and pinned him on the ground, Boyd and the others rushed into formation, striking the enemy Begnion and traitorous Daein soldiers. Titania, Oscar, Kieran, Geoffrey, and Cakil rushed up the enemy position, killing every single one of the enemy archers that attacked Tanith. The Sniper that killed Charles, however, put up a good fight, but Rolf fired an arrow and struck him in the back of the head. He died instantly, a death that was actually quite merciful. Rolf quickly ascended the battlement, and as Kristie attempted to flee with her fleet, Rolf emptied the Ballista, each shot taking down a Falcoknight, including Major Kristie.

General Plutarch, seeing that his colleague General Sigrun was killed, gathered many of his surviving troops and fled. However, he ordered his subordinate, General Astrid, to hold off the enemy during his retreat. General Astrid ordered her subordinates, Sergeant Makalov and Volke, to assist her in this task. The three of them charged upon Ike's panicking army.

Mist rode forward and engaged Makalov with her sword. Lethe ran forward and pounced on Astrid, knocking her off her horse. A Crimean General rushed at Volke, but with one slash of his knife, Volke killed him. Rolf stepped forward, fired an arrow, and Volke went down. But Rolf did not deal a fatal blow. Volke was simply out of commission, unable to fight.

Mist shouted at Makalov as she exchanged blows with him: "Idiot! We came here to rescue you, and now you attack us?!"

"Sorry, Mist, but I owe Astrid... She helped me become what I am today: a Sergeant. If I went to join you guys when you attacked Fort Dunche, I'd only be a Corporal. No one was willing to promote me except for Astrid here, which is why I'm with her." Makalov replied.

However, he saw that Astrid was talking to Ike, and he saw her throw away her Begnion seal of authority. "What?!" Makalov gagged. Mist whacked him with her sword, and Makalov fell off his horse.

Ike was too sick to move on. He was completely worried to death over Tanith, even when Rhys and Mist were caring for her. He ordered a mass retreat back to Fort Dunche. He planned to return to Nevassa to kill The Black Knight, who used his warp powder to return himself and Zolath to the city. Several Daein soldiers disappeared from the battlefield, and Ike reckoned that they made it to Nevassa as well. Izuka was nowhere to be found.

When they returned to camp, Gatrie and Tanith were taken into the infirmary. The others shifted uneasily, waiting for news of their two comrade's health.

Best wishes to Tanith...

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	36. Romantic Distractions

(Disclaimer: I am a bad romance writer. If you find the pairing described in this chapter awkward, please inform me.

Secondly, I've been having writers block, so I will upload the remainder of my already written chapters as fast as I can. New updates will come after a while.)

Chapter 35: Romantic Distractions

Lyre sniffed the night air. "Good, I don't sense anything... But, something tells me not to be so smug... Maybe I should fetch Lethe. General Oscar, come here!" Lyre yelled.

"Yes, Lyre?"

"Sir, you're much more reliable than your brother. Please watch over this post while I go find my sister."

"Do Gallian inferiors treat their superiors in such a manner?"

"No, but question my motives and you'll be seeing Daein spears. Do you understand, sir?"

"(Sigh) Very well... Go on ahead, Captain Lyre."

Lyre rushed ahead. "Where is Lethe?... Wait, I smell her... In Ike's tent?" She muttered.

"WHAT?!" Lyre snarled as she bounded as fast as she could.

Lyre burst into the tent... And immediately regretted her recklessness.

There, she saw Lethe, Soren, Ike, Marcia, Rhys, and Mia watching over the wounded Tanith. Ike had laid Tanith in his own bed, and spent his naps on the hard wooden floor. Lethe and Soren, both of whom considering themselves Ike's 'siblings,' stood beside the General as he stood beside the woman he loved.

"She's still unconscious, but she should be waking up soon." Rhys told Ike.

Ike was sitting on a chair beside her, and the others simply stood all around her bed.

Lethe glanced at Lyre: "Young one, aren't you quite impulsive?"

Lyre sighed and glanced at the ground.

"General Ike... Everyone... Please accept my apologizes for disturbing you."

Ike didn't even acknowledge her presence.

"Captain Lyre, please, if you wish to pay respects to Tanith..." Rhys spoke.

"She's still alive, isn't she, Rhys? There is no need to act like she's a corpse." Lyre interrupted.

Mist glared at Lyre: "Don't say those kind of things!"

"Hmn, I'm sure Tanith would not appreciate it if the very person who is watching over her speaks of her as though her live body is her coffin." Lyre snarled.

"Young one, restrain yourself!" Lethe growled.

"All of you, if you can't keep yourselves in order, then please leave. That means you, Rhys, as well." Ike glared at them.

Lyre nodded and was the first to walk out. The others slowly followed.

Slowly Tanith's eyes began to open.

"Tanith!"

"Ike..."

"It's a miracle! You're awake! I... I thought I lost you..."

"General..." Tanith muttered.

"What am I thinking? I'm letting a romantic distraction get the better of me. Of all people, me! I am General Tanith. I pledged myself to never enter a relationship so long as I am called to duty... Yet... I find myself breaking my vow..." Tanith thought as she gazed into Ike's eyes.

"Tanith? Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine."

"What a relief! We were all worried sick over you..."

"... I failed my duty to all of you, yet everyone still frets over me?"

"My, my... You are really serious about the 'I must kill myself over some stupid mistake' thing aren't you? C'mon! Wake up! We don't care if you made a mistake. All of us make mistakes! Look at Boyd. Look at how many mistakes he makes daily! And we still put up with him. But he's not as critical a unit as you. When you went down, all of us went into a frenzy and took out the archers that betrayed you, as well as Kristie. We care about you, Tanith, and you're a member of the family... Whatever mistakes you do will not make you any less of a person to us. You're still my Tanith... You're still a General of our army... Stand up and feel some pride!" Ike shouted at her.

"... Your Tanith?..." Tanith glanced at Ike shyly.

"... Oh, I said that? Pardon me, General, but I must do this..." Ike spoke as he darted forward.

Their lips met in a kiss...

As Ike drew back, he saw Tanith in a daze. "What... What am I doing? Is this blasphemous? It's completely against my training... Yet... I feel so blessed..." She smiled at him.

The two of them stood there, staring into each other's eyes. From outside of the tent, all of our heroes could hear the pair, but no one decided to interrupt them. Soren sighed: "I suspect that they'd want privacy. Everyone, let's go and plan our next moves." They left the couple and went to Soren's tent.

A few hours later, Soren was pacing back and forth in front of Ike's tent. In his hand, he carried a few notes from the war meeting. During the meeting, Tauroneo assumed the position of leader, since Ike was too busy with Tanith, and Haar and Jill were sleeping together in their tent. The party decided to strike Nevassa from several directions at once, and basically surround the city. They would use volleys of arrows to take out enemy sentries, and would use logs to ram into the city gates and break into the enemy fortification. There, Ike, with Ragnell, would fight The Black Knight and avenge Greil.

But Soren could not tell the two Generals this if they were not finished with their... romantic distractions. Soren sighed as he thought about his relationship with Lethe. "Though my body yearns to be like Ike, I must remain diligent and not allow Lethe to distract me from my actual duties. I am the tactician of this army, and Lethe is one of our finest generals. A child would only serve to take both of us out of commission." Soren sorrowfully mused.

After a time, Ike peeked his head out of his tent, and saw Soren.

"Soren? Er..."

"It's alright, Ike. Here, take this and read it with Tanith."

"Well, thanks..."

Soren nodded. "See you later."

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	37. Greil Avenged

(I have several warnings:

A. This is the last chapter you will see in a while.

B. The Black Knight might not be Zelgius

C. This chapter is qutie long. It filled four pages on wordpad. (At least for me.)

Chapter 36: Greil Avenged

When Ike and Tanith had finally finished reading the dispatch, they exited the tent and went to talk to Soren. Since Charles had died, Tanith felt ashamed to continue serving as a Crimean Pegasus Knight. She announced her resignation from this particular branch of the army and instead devoted herself to being a Swordmaster. She gave the Flame Lance to Marcia, along with her Silver Lance, and gave Marcia the right to call upon the Crimean Pegasus Knights who were still available. Thus, Marcia learned Reinforce, and became the Grand General of the Crimean Pegasus Knights. Tanith was awarded the rank of General by Ike and was given the Seven Star Blade as a present. Since Ike had Ragnell, he did not think that he would need that sword any longer.

After everyone was fully ready...

"Everyone... We're moving out!" Ike shouted.

Ike and his allies arrived at Tor Garen, where many more soldiers joined them. They slowly continued their march to Nevassa. Meanwhile...

"Sir, you have committed a grave mistake." Zolath muttered.

"What grave mistake? That whelp Ike is pathetic. He could never match his father, and I killed his father. What threat is he to me? Gawain is gone, and with him the last threat I ever had." The Black Knight replied.

"I told you once before, my lord: Ike fought you to a draw in combat. He is liable to defeat you in your next match. Be prudent and do not despise him." Zolath spoke.

The Black Knight sighed and waved his hand. Zolath, quite annoyed by his superior's disrespectful behavior, simply walked away.

Ike and his friends finally reached the point where Soren planned for them to branch off. "Geoffrey, you will lead our eastern thrust. Ranulf, you will command the southern thrust. Tauroneo, I trust that you can lead our northern assault. Ike, you will guide our troops from the west. If we strike them from all four sides, then their armies cannot escape! Janaff, I'd appreciate it if you help cover Ranulf with several of your hawk brethren. Ulki, please stick with Ike's force. Mordecai, you shall also help Ranulf. Lucia, Kieran, Relane, Zihark, the four of you will reinforce Geoffrey. Nepheene and Boyd will assist Ranulf. Cakil and Sothe will help Tauroneo. Gatrie, Ilyana, you two will also help Tauroneo. Devdan, you can join whichever front you want. The rest of you will help Ike and I in our main front. I trust that you are all willing to follow these instructions. We've got to get moving." Soren ordered.

The four armies rushed upon Nevassa from all sides, and The Black Knight was ready for them. Four Daein Generals emerged from the city, Hades, Pluto, Cerberus, and Kerberos. These four were chosen by The Black Knight himself to hold off the city.

From his station, Zolath sighed as he watched them surge forward. "We are sending these four strong men, who could help rebuild our nation, to their deaths. I suspect that the lord believes that men with intimidating names will scare Ike and his comrades. He is a fool, and we are all slain men, but we owe the DRA so much, and it is imperative that we stand beside this army in its final stand."

"Hades? Pluto? Cerberus? Kerberos? Are these Daeins idiots?! What kind of names are those? Hah! And they believe that we will be afraid by some children's tales. I'm certain that Ranulf and the others will take good care of them..." Soren laughed.

And sure enough, Pluto was torn to shreds by Ulki. Kerberos was sent running for dear life by Ranulf, and later slain. Cerberus put up a decent fight against Lethe, but Lyre rushed to help her and the two sisters double-attacked the poor general, and he perished. Hades alone challenged Gatrie, and died in the attempt.

Thus, as Zolath had predicted, four strong men who could have helped rebuild Daein were dead. The corpses of Daein Revolutionary Army troops continued to pile, and Geoffrey, Jill, Haar, Sothe, Marcia, Mia, Ilyana, Rhys, Mordecai, Rolf, Titania, and Mist could not stand the carnage any longer.

"These... Are my people. And as their Duchess, I have failed to protect them. Now, so many of them have been murdered. How can I claim to be a good ruler if I have failed to protect my people?" Jill sobbed.

"Soren, have we truly succeeded if we let so many Daeins die?" Titania sighed.

"No, we have not. If you wish to refer to our mission as a whole, we failed miserably. The land of Daein has been ruined again. Yes, the DLF has been restored and is practically in power, but rebuilding will take even longer thanks to the war. However, without Begnion or the DRA, Jill and Haar may prove to be able to restore the nation once again. We will have reunited Daein, without any objecting factions. That alone is a major accomplishment. So, Daein may be ruined, but, reunited, it can stand up again." Soren replied.

"Soren, it looks like Ranulf has helped clear one of the gates." Oscar observed.

"And it looks like Geoffrey's got his covered." Tanith added.

"Tauroneo looks like he's having trouble... Nope, false alarm." Tormod spoke.

"Then charge, men, go forward and smash them!" Soren yelled.

Our heroes looked at him as though he was going crazy.

"Hey, we all hate this war! We might as well end it swiftly, by striking them NOW!"

"He's right..." Calill sighed.

"YAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!" Kris yelled as he charged forward. Largo hurried after him, and the two Berserkers cleared the way for Ike's entry into the city.

As the Crimean/Daein/Gallian/Phoenician army marched into the city, Zolath sighed and spoke to his troops: "My comrades, this is the end. We have fought for so long for an army that, from the beginning, proved to be treacherous. Yet, we are warriors of honor! We shall not betray our comrades, no matter how pathetically amoral they are. General Bryce died serving Mad King Ashnard, whom we all agree was a terrible man. Yet, I had believed that by joining the DRA I could save Daein... I was so wrong.

"And now, I have brought all of you into the fray. Many of you are young men. You have a whole lifetime ahead of you. But today, your lives must be stolen to complete this battle. I am a pathetic general, one who stood beside an army whom I knew were evil people. Yet, I must uphold my honor and stand beside them to the death, but you soldiers do not have the same responsibility. You are free to help the DLF, and I would like you to, for by aiding them, you can save Daein after the dust settles. Remember, no matter what army you serve, you fight for Daein, you are Daein citizens, and Daein is your country. Regardless of what faction may claim to be Daein, you know that to be untrue. Daein is Daein, and cannot be partitioned into smaller pieces. You men must protect Daein as a whole, no matter what path you choose to take. Now, I will let you leave this army if you wish, and join the DLF, or, better yet, return to your homes and help your families and your villages and your towns and your cities rebuild. Daein has been ruined, but with your help, it can stand once again. My courageous warriors, I leave the decision to you. No matter what, may Ashera be with you." Zolath spoke.

About two fifths of Zolath's army spoke: "General, our apologies, but we must leave you here. Our families need us, and we have to help them recover. We wish you the very best, and do note that it was truly an honor to fight under you." Zolath nodded and watched them slip away. One quarters of Zolath's original army also said that they wished to leave. They were going to fight with the DLF. Zolath allowed them to leave, ordering that no one should hinder their departure.

Yet, three tenths of Zolath's original fighting force remained. They decided to fight beside the General to the bitter end, even if they did not support The Black Knight or the actions of their fellow DRA comrades. Standing beside these men, Zolath waited for Ike's approach.

Kris dueled several enemy Generals, while Largo cut down enemy Feral Ones who were released from their hidden cages by The Black Knight. Our heroes mowed through the enemy defenses, until Zolath's defecting soldiers came and joined them. With these allies, they were soon joined by Ranulf and Tauroneo's flanks. The three combined flanks struck the fortification with The Black Knight head on. Zolath's troops engaged Ike, but finally died, each one thanking Ike's men for clearing them of their painful servitude. Zolath himself finally appeared and spoke to Ike:

"General Ike, I asked The Black Knight to send all of his remaining units to attack Geoffrey. This leaves only myself and the Lord himself to stop you. I ask that only two warriors: You and General Tanith, step forward to face us. There will be two one on one duels. I will face the lady, while you will face your father's murderer. I commend you for coming this far and taking down our enemy troops, and I sincerely wish you the best of luck. Now, milady, let us begin." Zolath drew his sword, while Ike glanced at the two uneasily and walked away with Ragnell.

Ike stepped into a dark, unlit room. Suddenly, he saw a flash of blue light, and a large figure charged toward him. Ike lept to the side: "Fool! I can tell that you were going to use Luna. How cowardly of you! You think that by making a cheap strike you can defeat me. You are pathetic. My father was gravely dishonored by being slain by you!" Ike shouted as he raised Ragnell.

The Black Knight suddenly threw a stone into the window, which broke it and allowed light to seep through. "It's still the afternoon. Night has not covered our battlefield yet. Very good. That will make certain that the loser will not see the next moonrise. Come, son of Gawain! I shall slay you today!" The Black Knight taunted.

Meanwhile, Tanith and Zolath stood face to face before the entrance to The Black Knight's dueling ground. All of Ike's comrades watched the duel with unease. "If Tanith goes down again... I wonder how Ike could bear it..." All of the girls thought uneasily. Oscar and Zihark tried to calm the others, but no one could truly feel at ease in such a tense moment. Even Soren was uneasy, a feeling that was rarely spotted in him.

Zolath sighed and raised his blade: "General Tanith. I have heard of your glorious exploits in defending Begnion. As a citizen of Noad, I must commend you."

"Noad? You are one of the survivors of the Battle of Noad? Why, why do you work for Daein? Shouldn't you be in your hometown, rebuilding what you have lost?" Tanith replied.

"I no longer have a hometown. Begnion obliterated all traces of our cities. My family fled to Daein after seeing how Noad was merely a wasteland. My grandfather was only a boy during the war, and both he and his son fought for Daein. My father died an elderly General in the Great War, and now, I am the sole survivor of my family. I know of no other survivor of the battle besides my grandfather. Now, the old man is dead. My father is dead, and I am the only one who has the remnants of my people in my veins. They are gone, slain by Begnion. When I was stationed to hold off Cakil at Fort Vigilance, I went north into what was once Noad. It is all a wasteland. The ruins I found contained only dead bodies. I found no other survivors. You are speaking to the last member of my people." Zolath replied.

"I understand, son of Noad, why you would wish to kill the people of Begnion, but why did you aid Daein? You may have been missing a point. Your people were friends with the nation of Est. Could the survivors have fled to Est?"

"I do not know if Est still exists. It is only a fable spoken by the elderly."

"The Battle of Noad? Est? What?" Mist glanced at Titania.

Soren answered: "Begnion has done more crimes than the Serenes Massacre. In Begnion 582, there was another war between Begnion and Daein. Begnion had broken so deep into Daein's territory that they threatened the Kingdom to the north of Daein: Noad. Noad had kept itself isolated from its southern neighbors, trading with the legendary city-state of Est. It sent the bulk of its forces to combat Begnion and force the Empire out of Daein. However, the Begnion army routed the army of Noad and pursued the ragtag force to its hometown. The entire nation of Noad was destroyed, but before the Empire could conquer Est, Daein counterattacked and routed the Begnion reinforcements. The Begnion army retreated and was destroyed by Daein. The survivors of the Begnion army were the only people able to give reports on the Battle of Noad. As far as we know, Zolath is the only surviving descendant of the Noads."

Tanith looked at Zolath: "Son of Noad, why did you aid Daein during the Great War if you knew the evils that the nation committed?"

"Daein was a second home for me. It was here that I was born, raised, and taught. I owe so much to Daein. That is why I fight for them. But now that I am part of the DRA, I shall not cease fighting a Begnion citizen, albeit a former one. " Zolath replied.

"Then let us begin. Pity, both of us have so much to lose."

The two exchanged several blows. However, their fight was much more mild compared to the battle between Ike and The Black Knight.

"Murder of my father! I shall tear your body apart, and hear your screams of pain! Only then can I feel compensation for the horrible crime you committed. You killed your teacher, so I shall kill you." Ike growled.

"Ah, I enjoy this new change of heart, little boy. But you will not be able to survive long enough to see this dream come true." The Black Knight swung his blade and Ike blocked it with Ragnell. The Black Knight activated Luna and struck Ike, sending the boy flying and striking the wall. The villain laughed and set his sword into the ground as Ike slowly fell back onto the floor.

"So, will you finally give in? I shall vanquish you easily." The Black Knight taunted.

"Laugh all you want. You'll be laughing even when my sword is shoved down your throat!" Ike yelled as he charged forward again.

The two clashed once more, and Ike activated Aether! He struck The Black Knight twice, but the fiend was still alive, and swung his blade. Ike ducked and the sword flew harmlessly over his head, then Ike struck his foe's chest. The Black Knight was knocked back, but immediately went for a stab...

However, the blow that killed Ike's father could not be repeated on the son. Ike lept back just in time, and used Ragnell to block off Alondite.

The Black Knight reared his sword to perform a horizontal slash, but Ike lept to the side. Ike ran forward and attempted to strike his foe, but his attack was quickly blocked. The countering blow knocked Ike back a few steps, but he immediately recovered and charged. The two warriors continued slashing at each other with their blades, but neither appeared to be having an advantage.

Tanith and Zolath continued exchanging blows. All spectators were quite uneasy. However, at the critical moment, Tanith activated Astra, and each of her strikes resulted in a Critical. Zolath collapsed upon the floor, but he was still very much alive.

Zolath panted, and smiled: "Milady, thank you for freeing me from the curse that is duty. Now... Now I can finally rest in peace. I no longer have any obligation to help that big black fool in his schemes. But I must make a request: Please make certain that I did not die in vain. All I wanted was for Daein to be strong again... For Daeins to be able to raise their heads up high and praise the Goddess for giving them their country back. All I want is for Daein to be a strong and stable nation... A nation that no longer persecutes the Laguz, and a nation that will be able to work beside the Laguz to make Tellius a better place... Milady, please, do not let my death be in vain. Help the Duchess Jill and Duke Haar make Daein noble once again... When a man dies his words are true... And so these wishes have lain deep in my heart since the day I was born. Please, now that I am gone, I will need someone to make certain that they will be fulfilled. You've killed me, but please do not let my lifelong dreams fade with my mortal body!"

Tanith began to shed tears. "Son of Noad, General of Daein, you need not worry. You did not die in vain. The DLF will make Daein great again."

All of her comrades could only stare at the General's body, and hang their heads in respect for the fallen warrior... The noble General Zolath of the Daein Revolutionary Army!

While Zolath died behind the sealed exit of the room, Ike and The Black Knight continued their epic duel. The Black Knight swung at Ike with a Vertical slash, but lept back and evaded the attack. When his foe attempted to charge forward, Ike lept upward and sent his blade plunging toward his foe's forehead.

The Black Knight simply answered by leaning back and sending his sword up towards Ike's crouch. Ike daringly stepped on Alondite and lept upwards, jumping over his foe and landing right behind him. When The Black Knight turned to swipe at Ike, the young warrior was quickly able to evade the blow and prepare himself for another wave of attacks.

Amazingly, Ike's feet were not cut by the blade. The Black Knight nodded and spoke: "Nice boots, runt."

"Thanks, they're perfect for helping me avoid desecrating my feet by allowing them to get hit by your pathetic sword." Ike snarled.

"You can boast all you like. I will simply cut you down and drag your bloody carcass outside, where your sister and all of your pathetic comrades can watch and weep, realizing how pathetically stupid they were for standing beside a weak General for so long. I am still amazed at the lack of foresight Queen Elincia had, choosing you to be her General. What folly! Now, you shall die, just like your father did. Prepare yourself, runt." But just as the Black Knight began to lift Alondite, Ike darted forward and activated Ragnell... Twice!

The Black Knight was stunned by the first series of blows and knocked out of breath by the second. As he tried to recover, Ike swung his blade and cut his foe's chest. A long gash appeared on the front of The Black Knight's armor. Before the fiend could defend himself from this danger, Ike grabbed his opponent's helmet and yanked it off, and staggered back in fear as a result:

Duke Tanas was staring at him from The Black Knight's armor.

"Oh ho ho ho!"

"It... can't be! I can't accept this! My father was killed, by YOU????!!!!!!!!?????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Oliver laughed and stared at Ike. "Little boy, you thought you got the best of me in the forest, didn't you? You thought wrong! I was far from dead. It seems that your General Oscar failed to truly kill me. I am alive, and as you can see, strong enough to fight against you today. My beautiful face will be the last thing you will ever see! But no matter. I'm sure your puny brain is thinking: 'How could this fat man possibly kill my father?' Well, in my youth I was as strong as General Zelgius, but now that I'm older, I'm weak, as you know. But, when I put on this magic armor, I feel strong again! I helped Daein because I wanted to see if I could gain any further goods while acting like a Daein officer. My magic armor helped me kill countless people and sub-humans. As you know, that armor makes me practically invincible! Even Ashnard could not stop me! Oh ho ho ho! Now, I will kill you with Alondite, and all of your allies can feel so ashamed when they see that Oliver, the great Duke of Tanas, killed General Ike. Oh ho ho ho! Prepare to die, runt!" Oliver laughed.

Ike raised Ragnell: "This cannot stand. You filthy, pathetic mountain of lard! I shall rip you apart! You shall not live to see another moonrise, you filthy bastard! You killed my father! You killed countless lives! You sent so many young men to their deaths! You imprisoned Reyson! You are a monster! And I shall cleanse Tellius of your poisonous hide! Have at you!" Ike roared as he charged forward. Oliver swung his blade, and struck Ike. As Ike was reeling, Oliver went in for the kill, but Ike blocked the blow, and activated Aether one last time, making both strikes hit the head.

The first strike left a huge wound on Oliver's face. The second strike... avenged Greil.

Oliver's ugly head fell off his shoulders. Ike dropped Ragnell and collapsed on the ground: "Father... Why did you teach this vermin? Why did he kill you? Why, Goddess Ashera, did you allow such terrible things to happen? Why?"

However, Ike regained his composure, picked up Ragnell and sheathed it, and pried Alondite from Oliver's oily hands. "This is the blade that killed my father. This is the blade that killed thousands of lives. Yet, this is one of the blades blessed by Ashera. This blade itself is not evil: it's master was. So, the blade can easily redeem itself... In her hands..." Ike slowly ran his fingers onto the blade, and smiled.

Holding Alondite, Ike exited the room. Tanith ran to embrace him, and Ike offered her the sword. "Take this sword. It killed my father, and countless other lives. Do not let those lives be in vain! The sword is not evil, its master was. But, in the hands of a benevolent mistress, this blessed sword can finally be used for good." Ike smiled.

"Ike..." She stared at him in shock.

"Ike, this is the sword that killed Gawain? Yet, you give it to Tanith so that it can be purified? Interesting..." Tauroneo spoke.

"Ike, if you need to recover..." Soren was cut off by Ike.

"No, I'm fine. Everyone, The Black Knight was Oliver. He killed my father and did so many other crimes. But now, finally, he's dead. It's over. Daein can be reunified and we can all finish what we started by marching to Sienne and taking down the Apostle!" Ike raised Ragnell.

Our heroes were still shocked. "Oliver?!" They all growled.

Ike shook his head, and sighed: "Yes, the man who killed my father was the same mountain of lard who imprisoned Reyson... But it's time for us to move on. Now, Soren, where to?"

Please Read and Review!


	38. One Last Strike

Hey everyone!

I'm back.

When I said a while, looks like I meant only a week.

Anyways, I got some more inspiration from a Broadway musical, of all things! Weird, huh?

Regardless, enjoy!

Chapter 37: One Last Strike

"Empress, General Zelgius has arrived."

"Thank you, Prime Minister Sephiran."

Sephiran smiled at the Apostle. "There is no need to thank me, milady. I think Zelgius carries the very object you desire."

"Oh, yes. I have always wanted it..." Sanaki smiled.

General Zelgius slowly ascended the steps of Mainal. The General carried the dead body of a Pegasus Knight in his arms. Sanaki saw the body, and spoke: "So, she's Heather, isn't she?"

"Yes, milady. I had to have her grab the Medallion so that no one else could take it. Then I killed her. Well, you do know that she was our strongest Holy Knight after Tanith and Marcia defected and Kristie and Luciana were killed. I needed her to hold the Medallion, because her grasp would be strong enough to keep it from falling out of her hands." Zelgius explained.

Sanaki smiled. "Now, I will pry her fingers open and, oh! There it is! Both of you, stay here, and watch me... Watch me as I become legendary!" She laughed as she seized the Medallion.

Naesala happened to peak into the room. He was stationed at the Guest House, but became bored and curious. What he saw sent a chill running down his spine.

The Apostle resembled a thirteen year old child when King Ashnard perished. She appeared to be nearing adult age when she ordered Zelgius to attack Gallia, but now, the Medallion rapidly increased her growth. She turned from a pretty faced girl to a dazzling maiden. That is, a dazzling maiden with red eyes, black hair, and an eerie violet aura that surrounded her entire body.

"I feel so powerful... When I was still a mere child in your eyes, my dear servants, I was weak and barely able to maneuver through a ship without hurting myself. But now, now I am powerful! I understand how Ashnard felt when he had this power... For I am in his shoes! And oh, dearest Naesala! Now I can help you make Kilvas glorious! You need not worry, Phoenicis will never be able to stop me! Tibarn may be strong, but he will crumple into pieces before my glorious power!" Sanaki laughed.

"Wow, Sanaki... I guess you won't need to pay us for our assistance any longer..." Naesala replied.

"No, my dear, I still need you. Stefan and his Parentless friends were killed off by your forces, but with Bastian helping him, Stefan may be able to mount an attack upon us after he kills Tormod's laguz army and learns the truth. I will need you to help me, dearest Naesala. Together, we can rule this world! Join me!" Sanaki spoke.

"Yes, yes I will join you. I need to make Kilvas a glorious nation, and I will have great uses for an ally like Begnion. We shall uphold our alliance. Unfortunately, my forces failed to fully eliminate the Branded, and it appears that Stefan is gathering strength. But no need to worry. We are powerful, and we will win this war. I shall stand by your side." Naesala nodded.

"Milady, we both will also stand by you." Sephiran and Zelgius spoke.

Thus, Sanaki ordered the Begnion army to regroup and prepare itself.

Soon, their armies marched out of Sienne. Numbering 20,000 in total, they charged upon Fort Blanche. The defenders of the Fort were quickly besieged, and General Astrid sent three calvary officers to deliver a call for reinforcements. One officer, Sergeant Makalov, was able to cut through. He arrived at Fort Dunche, and Captain Nepheene sent her own messenger to General Cakil at Tor Garen, who had volunteered to arrive at Tor Garen first. Cakil immediately requested his colleague, General Kieran, to hold the gate while he went to Nevassa.

However, before Cakil even reached Nevassa, Fort Blanche had fallen. General Astrid ordered many of her paladins on a daring strike upon the enemy front lines while the rest of the army retreated. Sanaki's men were quite shocked by the attack, and thus, Astrid's plan worked. She was able to escape to Fort Dunche, and enemy soldiers pursued her.

"It seems that Sanaki made this final strike to destroy us, but we will make certain that she fails." Astrid told Nepheene. The two of them prepared their armies in the Fort, but Sanaki's army simply marched past them.

"Where could they be headed? Do they really think they could kill General Ike?!" Tormod whimpered as Astrid and Nepheene watched the enemy ignore their position.

"That may be so... It seems that I failed to stop them." Astrid sighed.

Meanwhile, Sothe spotted Sanaki's army as it marched upon Tor Garen. "It couldn't be! They took both Blanche and Dunche? Blanche, I understand, but Dunche?! I must avenge Astrid and Nepheene! Men, charge!" Kieran roared.

As Kieran's troops engaged Sanaki's army, the Begnion soldiers tried to avoid their attackers. "Men, there must be another way through the mountains. We must go there. General Plutarch, you will lead the assault on Nevassa. Zelgius, come with me. We will wait for them at Fort Blanche." Sanaki ordered. Naesala ordered several Ravens to accompany Plutarch on his march. The Begnion army quickly split into three parts, with one holding off Kieran while the other two went their separate ways. Eventually, Kieran fought off the soldiers besieging his position, but could only watch as Plutarch's men slowly squeezed their way through the mountains. The deadly cold killed and maimed several of his soldiers, but Plutarch did not care. All he wanted was to ensure that his men reached Nevassa.

The Begnion troops eventually arrived at Nevassa itself, before Haar could be crowned. Janaff spotted them almost immediately, and Ike's entire army readied itself for the enemy. The moment Plutarch came into view, a hail of arrows flew from the battlements to greet the Begnion army. Hawks and Ravens dueled in the sky, and Janaff and Ulki flew around, picking off Begnion troops and injured Ravens in their attack.

Oscar led a charge out of the south gate, and the proud Crimean and Daein paladins gave their foes hell. General Cakil personally decimated an entire squad of enemy troops before him, and Titania made certain that none of the Begnion troops would ever forget that a woman routed so many of their finest warriors.

Soren pelted his foes with Blizzard tomes, then personally commanded a squad of Archers and Mages to reinforce Oscar's advancing calvary. Ike and Tanith led a giant infantry unit, with Zihark, Boyd, Kris, and Largo supporting them, to smash several fortified enemy positions. Lethe and Muarim led one laguz division to crush a horde of enemy Halberdiers and armored knights, while Ranulf and Lyre led the other division to strike Plutarch's main unit.

These six divisions made the battlefield into pure chaos. Soren's plan to shock his enemy was working perfectly. Plutarch realized that his arrogance had led him into a trap. His soldiers were already demoralized, and now that each division was facing a powerful adversary, the Begnion army completely lost the will to fight. As they began to retreat, Plutarch found it quite prudent to join them.

That was when Soren sent his seventh and final division: Calill on one side of the foothills, and Jorhasten on the other. Calill and her division of mages rained on their enemies with Meteor, while Jorhasten's pelted Plutarch's retreating force with Bolting. Plutarch had few mages to provide a 'rebuttal,' and thus his army fell apart. Plutarch retreated back to Fort Blanche with only 6,000 survivors of his once glorious army of 20,000. Of the 1,000 Ravens Naesala sent to help Plutarch, a mere 200 remained. The Hawks of Phoenicis were quite unwilling to forgive such traitors to the laguz, and showed their contempt quite viciously in this battle.

Plutarch swore that sooner or later, he would destroy the Crimean army the moment victory seemed possible for them, but that dream would come much later.

Ike's scouts reported that the coast was clear, and that Plutarch had finally reentered the Begnion border. Sanaki's last strike had failed.

There are more chapters on the way!


	39. Daein Libre

Chapter 38: Daein Libre

Daein was finally free.

After repairing the damage done to all of their positions, the Daein Liberation Front began their greatest triumph: Crowning Duke Haar and ensuring that the Kingdom of Daein would rise once again. Bishop Tomenami soon arrived from Fort Nuchen to congratulate the Duke's victory, and with his fellow Bishops, they prepared the pedestal on which Haar and Jill would be crowned.

In late Daein 661, Bishops Tomenami and Rhys had Duke Haar and Duchess Jill make the crowning oath of honor and benevolence. Haar and Jill swore that they would be benevolent rulers, and instead of ruling to earn power, they would rule to ensure the well-being of the people of Daein. Tomenami and Rhys crowned Haar and Jill respectively, and Generals Tauroneo, Cakil, and Sothe pledged their allegiance to their new rulers.

King Haar immediately presented Generals Ike and Tauroneo with the Medal of Glory, the most coveted Medal of Daein that could only be awarded by the King or Queen themselves. Haar also gave Cakil and Sothe the Medal of Honor, the second most coveted medal, with the explanation that neither Cakil nor Sothe truly led any major campaigns, unlike Tauroneo, but the two of them fought so long and hard that they deserved the Medal of Honor.

Queen Jill presented Lethe with the Medal of Honor. She was the first laguz to receive a Medal from the Daein government. Even Ena had not received such an honor. Ranulf and Muarim were also given Medals of Honor for their accomplishments. Janaff and Ulki were given Medals as well, as a symbol of thanks for the lives of the Hawks spent by Phoenicis to ensure Daein's reunification. Soren and Titania were both given the Medal of Glory, and all of Ike's veterans had their names engraved in the stone walls of Nevassa.

Jorhasten was given the rank of Minister of Finance, and was asked to make a record of the economy of all of Daein. Tauroneo was made Supreme Commander of the new Daein army, the Daein Regal Army (DRA, not to be confused with the Daein Revolutionary Army). Cakil was made Lord of the Palace Guard, and Sothe was given the rank of General who Conquers the South. Tomenami was given the promise that Palmeni Temple would be rebuilt, and Haar ordered that the vast amount of gold taken from both the Daein Revolutionary Army's treasury that was plundered from the people, as well as the gold taken from the Begnion supply convoys, would be given freely to the people of Daein.

A formal Alliance was made between the nations of Crimea, Daein, Gallia, and Phoenicis, with messengers from each nation flying/rushing to one another to confirm the alliance. With a large amount of Gallian and Phoenician troops engaging Begnion invaders in war-torn Gallia, Caineghis was forced to accept the alliance hastily. Tibarn, after scrutinizing the document for some time, finally accepted, and Queen Elincia accepted the proposal without hesitation.

This Grand Alliance gathered its army at Tor Garen. Haar, however, asked that many of the Crimean, Gallian, and Phoenician soldiers go to Gallia to repel the Begnion invaders. Haar believed that their staying in Daein would only allow Begnion to have the upper hand in Gallia. The allied forces accepted the request, and immediately rushed to Gallia's aid.

Shortly afterward, as Ike and Haar's forces slowly gained morale and additional supplies, Haar decided to join Jill in governing Daein and helping to restore the nation. Haar delegated the task of destroying Begnion to Tauroneo, who accepted his orders without hesitation. The Crimean Royal Guard, Daein Regal Army, Elite Gallian Warriors, and Grand Phoenician Sentinels, prepared to march upon the Begnion position at Fort Dunche. Thankfully, they found that Fort Dunche was in the hands of General Astrid. Kieran was quite relieved, as were General Geoffrey and the other veterans. Astrid and Nepheene were given word of the situation, and both were quite committed to helping King Haar complete the mission.

Thus, in early Daein 662, Generals Ike and Tauroneo marched out from Tor Garen. The vast majority of the Begnion invaders in Gallia were beaten back by Gallia and Phoenicis, so the Begnion army concentrated itself in a few key positions deep in Begnion's remaining territory. The positions of Fort Blanche and Sienne City were fully fortified. Zelgius awaited his foes at Blanche, while Sanaki prepared to crush them all in Sienne.

As the Begnion army was slowly regrouping its forces, Ike decided to encamp his troops slightly south of Fort Dunche. Since Janaff was not assigned as a scouting unit, due to the fact that he was an important leader of the Hawk division of Ike's forces, Ike and his forces had no idea that someone was watching them.

"Stalker, I hope that you aren't going to do something reckless." Nealuchi spoke. He and a dark brown raven were watching Ike's camp from a distance.

"That General... Ike's his name, right? He killed my brother! Yet, Tellius's survival rests on his army's shoulders. But I'm sure that the loss of him alone won't affect the Crimean's ability to destroy Begnion. After all, they've taken down The Black Knight. Their General Tanith wields Alondite, so I don't see how any other blessed foes will face them. I'll get my chance to avenge my elder brother... Just you watch, Nealuchi. I'll let him sleep tonight." Stalker replied. The two ravens flew away into the distance.

As the united army was approaching their Begnion foes, one of Ike's messengers appeared from Fort Dunche: "Sir! An unidentified army raided Fort Bachen. Our forces were able to fight them off, but they stole a significant amount of Laguzslayers, Laguz Bows, Laguz Axes, and Laguz Axes, all anti-laguz weaponry. We have identified their dead as being branded…"

"Branded?! Ike, that means that…"

Soren was cut off by Lethe: "Stefan's raided our supplies to attack the Laguz Emancipation Army!"

"No! But that means…" Tormod yelped.

"Ike, I implore you to allow us to march to Grann Desert." Muarim spoke.

"No worries, we'll all go there. All units, we will march to the Desert. Generals and Armored Knights, you may stay here and establish a camp if you wish. All Paladins and Laguz comrades, I ask that you assist me in this endeavor." Ike ordered.

"Very well, good luck nephew." Tauroneo spoke.

Soren led the way towards the mystical desert, where friends and foes await them.

Now, the original mission is complete, but a new one looms over the horizon for our heroes...

New characters will be appearing soon.


	40. March of the Branded

Yep, more chapters are coming. You'll see both Corinne and Amy here, and Kris finally has some background info on him!

Chapter 39: March of the Branded

In the ruins of an old Zunanman castle, Corrine flapped her wings uneasily as she looked out into the distance. "Narok, are you sure that you smell something out there?" She asked a male cat laguz beside her.

"Yes, miss Corrine. We beast laguz have good noses... That is the distinct smell of laguz weapons. Someone's going to attack us."

"Then we'd better get ready... If only Tormod and Muarim were here! Since they're gone, we'll have to fend for ourselves. Everyone, ready your claws and beaks, we're going to engage an enemy that wants us all dead! Come, brothers and sisters, we shall prevail over our enemy! We're going to make sure that all laguz make it to the promised lands!" She yelled.

But the Laguz Emancipation Army, led by this young female Raven, Corrine, had no idea what kinds of foes they were dealing with. The Branded National Army, led by Stefan and Isaac, marched forward to kill all the sub-humans that butchered their kind in one of their towns. Isaac glanced uneasily at Stefan: "Those sub-humans are strong. Our weapons may be designed to kill them, but will we take many casualties as well?"

"That is how war is, Isaac. But you have me. I am a veteran of battle. I fought beside a couple sub-humans, so I know how they fight."

"Forgive me, Stefan, but then wouldn't you feel remorse for killing some of your comrades?"

"Had they not attacked us, yes, I would. But, they butchered so many of us. They betrayed me, and twisted my trust. For that, they all deserve to die." Stefan replied.

"Very well. Everyone! The massacre at the Dead Grounds was not in vain! My sister and all of our brethren who died that day did not die without a purpose! Ashera tormented us, and made us scorned by all. Ashera took our safety from us when she sent the sub-humans to butcher us. But Ashera guided us when we raided Bachen Fort! And, Ashera has gathered us here to destroy these sub-humans who killed so many of our own! This is all her will, and let us follow it! We must have our vengeance! The end for these sub-humans is now!" Isaac yelled. The Branded army charged upon the castle, the castle where the Laguz Emancipation Army were waiting for them. The tidings of war were uneasy indeed.

As the Branded marched forward, Bastian was among them, rallying his allies to win the battle. The united Army approached the area, and, before Stefan could reach Corrine's forces, Ike's army appeared in-between them.

"Ah, so the sub-human lovers have come." Stefan smirked.

"Stefan, stand down! We're all one family, and you're our brother! We don't want to hurt you, or your friends!" Mist shouted.  
"Stefan, why do you attack my comrades? What happened? Please tell me!" Muarim shouted.

"Corrine, are you alright?" Tormod asked her.

"I'm fine, Tormod... Muarim looks ok, too. Well, looks like you and your friends made it just in time."

"Right."

"So the leader of our enemies used to be one of your allies in the Great War?"

"Yeah, he's Stefan, and he's a Branded."

"The Branded colony here has declared war on us? What did we do? I don't get this at all... This is quite a sad day." Corrine muttered.

Stefan glared at Muarim, and laughed: "Sub-human, you seem to forget the evils you have done to us, but we Branded remember! You destroyed an entire town of ours, and butchered two thousand of us! Now, we've grouped here, 2,800 strong, to destroy you murderers and traitors! Ike, you have nothing to do with us or them. Get out of the way, before my comrades have to kill you as well."

"We outnumber you, Stefan. You have 2800 fellow Branded with you, but I brought 5500 soldiers with me. I have many more waiting at the edge of the desert. You won't be able to get past me to attack the Laguz Emancipation Army! I won't let you!" Ike shouted.

"Stefan, cease this madness! I'm sure we can talk this over!" Soren called.

"Is he one of us, Stefan?" Isaac asked.

"Yes. You are a traitor, Soren! Your fellow Branded were butchered by the laguz, yet you stick with them to the bitter end. You've let Lethe corrupt your mind. That is why I must kill you as well." Stefan growled.

"Let me take him. I am a mage, and my Resistance is higher than all of you. I will kill him and thus help get rid of the traitor." Bastian offered.

"Very well. Bastian will duel Soren, and I will duel Zihark! Isaac, I leave control of our forces to you." Stefan spoke.

"Good luck, Stefan... May your spells hit home, Bastian. Everyone, get ready to fight!" Isaac raised his Laguzslayer.

As Bastian closed in on Soren, and Zihark and Bastian raised their blades, another band of laguz were exploring the desert...  
"Nealuchi, is this truly what King Naesala has done?"

"Yes, he followed Sanaki's request and killed the Branded here."

"Then, the army that fights Ike's is made of the people who were violated here."

"Yes."

"Pity, though Ike killed my brother, I still feel sympathy for him being attacked for something he did not do."

"No, Stalker, that's not the case. You see, the Branded are attacking a laguz fortification to the west of here. It's made out of former laguz slaves. Ike happens to have hired two of its leaders and befriended them. He came for his friends. The Branded did not originally intend to fight him at all." Nealuchi spoke.

"Truly?"

"Of course."

"Regardless, the King has gone too far. He's killed so many innocents, and relinquished Kilvas's honor to fill his own pocket. He makes us look like a nation of thieves and assassins. He is partly the reason why my brother Seeker was slaughtered by General Ike. But Seeker did not die in vain. After I kill Ike, I will help you make Kilvas glorious again. We shall take down our King. We shall make a new Kilvas. But first, Nealuchi, I must settle the blood feud here and now!" Stalker spoke.

"Stalker, if only you were King, things might have been different."

"Don't say that. You know that I am a simple nestling, unable to truly lead our entire nation."

"No, Stalker, you are one of our champions."

"You're merely flattering me. That means that you have something to say. Pray tell me. I'm ready to hear some more words of wisdom." Stalker spoke.

"Then Stalker, don't kill Ike." Nealuchi replied.

"What?!"

"You heard me. Ike is the coherent force that will lead to the Apostle's demise. To kill him would destroy our last hope of seeing the Apostle dead. For the good of Tellius, you must not achieve your revenge."

"I'm sorry, Nealuchi, but time merely weakens the power of vengeance. This is a blood feud. I can't wait. I do hope that my actions will not lead to the doom of us all, but for the good of my brother, I must kill Ike."

Meanwhile, Ike and Stefan's armies were engaging each other in the desert. Zihark dueled Stefan and Bastian attacked Soren. Unfortunately, Bastian was no match for his opponent. Bastian cast Elwind on the dark-clothed mage, but Soren whirled about and cast Vortex. Bastian was struck in the face, and staggered backwards: "You weren't even holding a tome!" He shouted over the wind.

"Hah! I know!" Soren taunted.

Stalker turned to Nealuchi: "I fear that a mage like that in Ike's army makes my goal much harder to reach."

But unknown to Ike and Stalker, a third group of people was watching the battle. "Do you see that, Plutarch? The enemy has a powerful mage in their ranks. And I thought he was pathetic!" Izuka snickered.

Plutarch bowed: "Master Izuka, I do not understand why you call him powerful. He may have reached Omega class in Wind, but you are Omega class in Fire, are you not? Fire has the advantage over wind, no?"

Izuka laughed: "Yes, General, but you do not understand: few mages are worthy enough to reach Omega class. It takes dedication and a great amount of mental toil to reach such a class. Soren must have trained himself almost every day. It took me quite a while to master Fire the way I master it today. It is a pity that I can kill him so easily when he worked so hard to become what he is now."

Soren continued pelting Bastian with Vortex spells. Bastian pulled out his Tornado tome and struck Soren with it. "You won't be able to insult me any longer, Soren!" He shouted.

Soren glanced at Bastian: "I always thought your class was higher than mine. You were Class A when I was still at Class C. But it seems that you failed to reach Omega class. Based on the strength of your spell, you are S class. Not bad, but watch how I can cast the same spell: TORNADO!"

Bastian was thrown into the air, and painfully landed onto the ground. "How... How is it possible? A youth like you, so able to..."

"I'm 24. I'm hardly still a youth."

"You look 15!"

"Yes, but mind you, I'm a Branded, so aging takes longer for me."  
Bastian panted, and stood up: "Now... I reached A class in Fire for a purpose, you know. Bolgagon!"

The spell attempted to burn Soren, and he was injured, but only slightly. "One who has reached Omega class has gone through great toil, because of that, such a Sage (or talented Mage) can resist the opposing form of magic to some degree. Fire is weak against Wind, but I will no longer screech in pain because I was hit by a few flames. Bastian, you are a strong Sage, but you are not the best. I'm sorry, but you betrayed us, so I have to do this: SMACK!" Soren yelled.

Bastian could only watch as a gust of wind flew at him like a hungry wolf descending on a sheep. The blond sage was knocked cold on impact.

Izuka snickered from a distance: "It will be fun killing Soren later. Plutarch, now we shall retreat." Izuka and Plutarch disappeared into the distance.

Zihark and Stefan continued to exchange slashes, but Zihark attacked at a critical moment, knocking Stefan off balance. At that moment, Zihark closed in and placed his sword a centimeter away from Stefan's neck. "Now, can we talk?" Zihark asked.

Stefan glared at him: "Don't gloat simply because you used a cheap trick to get the better of me."

Soren stepped forward: "Stefan! Don't be a fool! The laguz you are attacking now are clearly not the laguz that destroyed our cities! Don't you realize this? If these laguz were responsible for attacking the towns, wouldn't they be fully ready for a counter offensive? Secondly, you know how Tormod and Muarim are like. These laguz followed the two of them to the death. Why would they jeopardize all that they've accomplished by attacking the Branded colony? It makes no sense, right?! Get a hold of yourself!"

"That is why you are a Branded traitor. You sleep with Lethe by your side, and you speak up for the laguz as thought you are one of them. Let me tell you the truth. Lethe and the other laguz in your party may treat you well, but once you enter Gallia, many laguz will try to maul you. They will deem you, a half-breed, unworthy of mating with a purebred laguz like Lethe, especially since Lethe is such a high rank and has such great prestige in Gallia. You will be tortured again, Soren. Don't you realize this?! Join us, shake Lethe out of your life. The laguz murdered us, and we Branded shall stand together to destroy them. You must choose the right path to take, Branded mage. You will never be considered a Laguz or a Beorc by anyone." Stefan replied.

"I am no Laguz, nor am I a Beorc. I am a Branded, yet I am also a man of reason. I am certain that the laguz who butchered our kind are not the laguz who stand behind me. They are the laguz who are helping Begnion. They were either tortured slaves or warriors of Kilvas. Tell me, Stefan, the vast majority of the dead were Ravens, no?"

"They were practically all Ravens, with two Tigers helping them."

"Those tigers had whip marks on their backs, no?"

"... Well, yes."

"You are a fool, Stefan. You have declared an attack upon innocent people. Sanaki and Naesala are your enemies, not Muarim. You do not see the difference between friends and foes. Surrender now, traitor, and we will let you live." Soren replied, readying 'Smack' in case Zihark failed to hold Stefan off.

Stefan glared at Soren, and spoke to Muarim: "Green tiger, I hereby call off my attack. Our forces hereby surrender to you."

Isaac sighed and the Branded army dropped their weapons.

As the Branded were being examined, one of them suddenly stepped forward and yelled: "Kris?"

"Amy?"

"You big dummy, where have you been this whole time?!"

"I've been working here, with Ike."

"Ike? Is that the General who fought in the Great War? Hmn, and he's the same guy who frees Daein, then comes here to stop us from attacking that laguz colony." Amy muttered.

"Amy, why did you attack the laguz here?"

"How was I supposed to know that they were friendly? It's just that... I lived in Solari, and now it's been renamed the Dead Grounds because of what those bird laguz did to the city... I couldn't forgive them. I shot as many as I could with my bow, but that wasn't enough. One of the ravens swooped down to kill me. Had it not been for one of Stefan's men, I would have been a goner. He was a Paladin, you see, and had mastered Bows and Lances. He fired an arrow with better precision than I have, and killed the raven who tried to kill me. Stefan hired the guy who saved my life. That's why I had to help Stefan, to make those laguz pay for what they did. Now I know that these are the wrong laguz, but when you are mad, it's hard for you to do what's right." Amy replied.

"And Amy, you never told me that you were a Branded..."

"I didn't want you to know."

"But, but I wouldn't have minded... You could have shown me your brand..." Kris smirked.

"Pervert."

Kris laughed: "I'm being serious. You're safe with me, Amy."

"Oh, Kris, stop being a romantic. You fail miserably at it."

"I'm not being..."

"Sorry to break up your little chat, but Amy, since you happen to know Kris, could you show me your skills with a bow? Tellius needs people like you. Stefan's already agreed to join our army..."

"Well, let's see here..." Amy aimed her bow at a cactus in the distance. Her bow twanged and the arrow struck the center of the plant.

"Yup, she's a good shooter, Ike." Rolf nodded.

"Alright then. Amy, would you be willing to join my army?"

"As long as I can feather the birds who killed my friends, then I'd be glad to help you, Ike." Amy replied.

"And Kris, I never got the chance to ask you: why have you stuck around? I thought you'd be back in Daein."

"Cuz I was lyin' to you, Ike. I'm a Begnion citizen, but thanks to the Apostle's actions, I wanted to help the DLF free Daein. Unfortunately, I couldn't join up with them, so I joined Begnion's army to fight off the DRA. I had hoped to defect the moment I got a chance, but I never got the chance, till I talked with ya."

"But you aren't lying to me now, right? You want to stay, right?"

"Of course I do! Why, if you guys win, then I can achieve my dream."

"Which is?"

"He always wanted to be a lumberjack, right, Kris?" Amy glanced at him.

"Yeah. The best lumberjack in all of Tellius. Just you wait, Ike. Someday, you'll see a company called Kris's Lumber, and it'll have the finest wood any shop would offer! I'll hire the best carpenters and woodworkers to help make beams and other things for houses, beds, and all kinds of wooden stuff. With my axe here, the job'll be easy!"

"Glad to hear it, Kris. So, how did you two meet?" Ike asked.

"It's a long story..." Amy flushed slightly.

"And I don't wanna tell it, sorry." Kris nodded.

"Alright. Well, glad to have you with us, Amy."

"Glad to be here, General." Amy saluted.

As Ike slowly walked away, the pair glanced at each other.

"Kris, I've been searching for you this whole time. I went back home a month ago to settle things, but those birds suddenly attacked..."

"Amy, don't worry. You're safe. When I see those pesky raven laguz who killed your friends, I'll go chop all of them up! They'll never get away with what they did to you, never!" Kris spoke.

"Thanks, Kris." Amy smiled.

Showdown between Stalker and Ike next chapter!

Read and Review, please!


	41. Vengeance

AP Testing is evil!

I wasn't able to update until now.

More chapters are on their way...

Chapter 40: Vengeance

Stalker watched Ike move toward his camp.

"Nealuchi, does this Ike fellow have any relations?"

"Yes, he has a younger sister. Her name is Mist."

"What a pity. Mist will have to face the same sense of pain and loss I have felt since my brother's death. But she should realize that her brother murdered mine, so I must take her's. The ancient law of paying a life for a life must be settled, or this blood feud will last for generations. I shall fulfill my goal, Nealuchi. You can watch." Stalker spoke as he morphed into Raven form and flew towards Ike.

As Ike was walking back to his camp, a large brown raven suddenly descended in front of him.

Kris, Amy, Soren, Titania, and several others saw Ike in trouble and approached the two.

"Who are you?" Ike called.

"Your worst nightmare, murderer!" Stalker replied.

Muarim, Lethe, Ranulf, and Lyre heard Stalker's threat and began to run as fast as they could toward Ike.

Stalker, seeing so many of Ike's allies approaching, morphed back into humanoid form. He shouted at Ike's comrades: "Noble warriors of Tellius, I have no quarrel with you. This man, General Ike of Crimea, butchered my brother, Seeker, in cold blood. He has brought this retribution upon himself. The rest of you may have assisted him in my brother's murder, but you should feel relieved that I do not consider you guilty of such a crime. Ike ordered my brother to be butchered, not you. I ask that you all stand back. I understand that you would feel sorrow for seeing a comrade die with you only able to look on, but please understand that this bloodfeud can only be settled with either his or my death. Now, murderer, let us begin." Stalker morphed into laguz form.

Lethe snarled aloud: "Seeker was a mere thief, a cowardly crook! You may feel sorrow and pain for your brother's death, but do not expect us to feel the same. Your brother was a petty criminal, unfit for our tears or blessings. Clearly, you fail to realize that your brother deserved ample retribution for his pathetic crimes! What you should be doing is upholding your family honor by not being a petty thief like your brother, not going around getting into fights and blood feuds because of his death. Let your brother's end be a lesson for you, not a reason to vent your anger, bold raven! Stand down and back away, or all of us will do our utmost to defend Ike!"

Stalker scoffed at her: "Then prepare to die along with him, Gallian."

"You won't have a chance to harm her, not when I am still alive!" Soren cried, reading Tornado.

"Hmn, a male beorc mage attempting to protect a female Gallian? Hah, how funny! I commend you, young lad, for being able to see that laguz aren't sub-humans or monsters. But, unfortunately, you had to stand in my way, so you'll have to die. I don't like doing this, but I must get rid of you in order to uphold Seeker's honor." Stalker spoke.

Ike turned to Soren and Lethe: "Both of you, stay back. Everyone, he wants to fight me alone. He'll get that chance. I always needed to figure out how to fight the bird laguz, and here is a strong fellow who will definitely make a good sparring partner. Now you can face me, raven of Kilvas!"

"The name's Stalker, and it'll be the last name you'll ever hear. Here I come!" Stalker flew in the air, and dived down towards Ike. Ike lept backwards and readied Ragnell, but Stalker dodged Ike's treacherous stab and slashed at Ike with his talons.

"I've been anticipating something devious from you, General. But don't think that I'll fall for some dirty trick. I'll fight you fairly, talon and beak against sword and skill. I'll be the one who wins this duel!" Stalker shouted as he swooped at Ike again.

Ike tried to evade the dive, but Stalker rammed into Ike with his beak. The latter staggered back a few steps, but just when he recovered himself, Stalker flew and struck Ike again with his talons. Ike panted and shouted: "Don't think this is the end, Stalker!"

"No, it's not the end. The end will come when you finally black out and leave this world." Stalker nodded as he dived.

Ike lept back and lept into the air. He timed his stroke perfectly, striking Stalker on the center of his body. Stalker replied by grabbing Ike's shoulders with his talons, then flying swiftly and dropping his opponent. Ike was hurled towards the ground, and Ulki winced at the sound of the crash, but Ike quickly stood up. "That was fun, Stalker! Come at me and show me what other tricks you can do!" He laughed.

"Tricks?! You consider them mere tricks?! You've insulted me. Well, I'll teach you some manners, boy!" Stalker squawked as he flew into position.

Stalker dived at Ike several times, but Ike gracefully dodged all of the laguz's attacks. "Hmn, interesting. You've improved. Well, what if I were to do this?" Stalker spoke as he suddenly turned at mid dive and flew straight for Ike.

Ike pointed his sword at his foe. "Aether!" The skill activated, and Ike flew at Stalker. Before Stalker could escape, Ike swung Ragnell, striking the bird twice. But Stalker was quite resilient, he quickly regained his composure and laughed: "Well, nice one. But I will get rid of you yet!" Once again, Stalker swooped down on Ike with his talons.

"Sorry to say this, but you are so predictable. You're just going to swoop down at me, but if I time myself right..." Ike raised his sword, and Stalker flew right into it...

"SQUAWK!" Stalker was quite shocked that he fell for this trick...

Ike pulled his sword out of Stalker's body, and whistled for Rhys.

Rhys ran forward and cast Physic on Stalker.

The bird slowly rose into the air, and hovered a moment, caught in shock. "You... You saved me?"

"Yes."

"But... But this is a blood feud... You... Killed my brother... I... Thought you'd hate me... Why do you save me?"

"Because you are not like your brother."

"What do you mean?"

"First of all, you came here not to steal, but to avenge a loved one. Secondly, you tried to get Lethe and the others to not get involved, because you did not want to hurt innocents, not like Seeker, who attacked everyone on the boat. Thirdly, you show uneasiness and a substantial dislike to the act of killing, not like Seeker. You are a far better laguz than your elder brother. For that, I respect you. You are a worthy foe, and you deserve a second chance to face me again." Ike nodded.

Stalker had a look of genuine respect in his eyes. He smiled and immediately morphed back into humanoid form. "Now I know why Nealuchi says that you are pivotal to saving Tellius. General Ike, I hereby give in. You can execute me or do what you will. I failed to avenge my brother, and I no longer wish to. Seeker was slain by someone of character, so I know that he must have died for a reason. Clearly, since you seem not to hate laguz, Seeker did not die in vain. I hereby surrender."

"Then I must request you for your assistance in the march to Begnion, Stalker of Kilvas."

"I will accept your request, Ike of Crimea. But I must ask you to allow me a short reprieve."

"Why?"

"Nealuchi and I are extremely ashamed of King Naesala's actions. He makes Kilvas look like a nation of thieves and bandits. We ravens are far more honorable than that! Nealuchi is trying to get supporters from Kilvas to leave Kilvas and form a small revolutionary group who will bring down our king. I must aid him."

"Then may Ashera watch over you, brave Raven."

"Thank you. I must go. However, you can be certain that soon, if you are surrounded by hoards of the pathetic Begnion soldiers, I will be there." Stalker smiled and flew away with Nealuchi.

Does Stalker seem a little fluffy? Please READ AND REVIEW!


	42. Treachery

Warning: Near the beginning of this chapter, Lucia has a rant that may be insulting to some people. I was half-asleep and half-conscious due to Senior Portfolios. Since I am a male, I do not particularly agree with her statement, but I have found it humerous. If anyone has objections to her rant, please leave that in a review.

Chapter 41: Treachery

"General Tauroneo, we are under attack!"

"What?! Now?! Of all times? Quick, man! Call Gatrie, Nepheene, and the other warriors. We must defend ourselves!"

Tauroneo emerged from the barracks to find several Begnion calvary officers engaging Crimean and Daein foot soldiers. Generals Nepheene and Gatrie emerged from their tents and joined in the fray. Tauroneo twirled the Wishblade and charged forward.

The battle seemed quite bleak. Tauroneo judged that approximately 2,000 of his warriors were engaging 10,000 enemy troops. There were more Crimean and Daein soldiers encamped deeper in the Desert, for Ike had brought only his elites to help save the Laguz Emancipation Army. Tauroneo ordered one of the few calvary soldiers he had to rush over to call their comrades, while he swung his spear and engaged enemy forces head on.

"Tauroneo... I don't think we can take this..." Gatrie panted.

"All of you, hold your ground! Calvary may be swift, but our enemy is stubborn. If you keep yourselves healed and prepared at all times, you will break their morale. Once you do, you can easily take them down. Hang in there!" The older General shouted over the melee.

The Begnion troops continued their slow advances, but the warriors of Crimea and Daein were not to be trampled easily. Tauroneo's experienced eyes surveyed the battlefield, and while small groups of reinforcements began to arrive, Tauroneo shouted: "Attack their left flank! We will break their morale!"

His soldiers did as they were told, and were rewarded with a surprising victory.

Why?

The enemy General had gone to bed early in his tent. He arrogantly believed that his forces would easily trounce Tauroneo and his allies. Tauroneo, meanwhile, saw his opponent sleeping on the job and decided to rouse him, albeit rudely. This sudden attack scared the enemy warrior to death, and, believing that Tauroneo had already routed his supply train, the enemy Begnion General ordered a mass retreat, even when his forces outnumbered Tauroneo's three to one. Tauroneo's archers fired a hail of arrows at their incompetent foe, and the enemy commander was slain.

The retreating Begnion soldiers made it to General Plutarch's small outpost. Hearing of Tauroneo's victory, Plutarch angrily left a substantial amount of troops as an ambush, while he left for Sienne to report to the Apostle.

Ike and his comrades soon arrived at Tauroneo's camp. Finding it in disarray, Ike asked Tauroneo what was going on.

"Uncle, I see that you were attacked. Were there any casualties?"

"Few, but the enemy has retreated. They outnumbered us three to one. However, I outwitted them and killed their commander. By the time they recover, they will find that there are enough of us here to crush them. I think we're safe now."

"Excellent work, General! The more victories we have, the less likely they'll be able to get the resolve to attack us again. We have our Gallian and Phoenician allies closing in from the Eastern front. The Begnion Empire is virtually surrounded. As long as we can make them taste the bitterness of defeat again and again, their numbers will be meaningless. They will be defeated." Soren smiled.

"We should march on to Sienne. Now that we're reunited with Stefan, we have enough personnel to besiege the city, even if some of their forces outnumber ours." Titania spoke.

And so, our heroes marched on... Right into Plutarch's ambush!

How could they? How could they personally fall for such a trick? They had Soren and Titania thinking of plans, Tauroneo's experience in battle, Ulki's ears, Lethe's nose, and Janaff's eyes. They had spies and brains. Why couldn't they avoid an idiot's ploy?

Well, because of one particular General in their army:

Gatrie was trying to flirt with Amy, just like he tried to flirt with all the other girls…

"Oh, Amy. Your face brightens the darkness of the night… Your smile is the luminance of angels… Your…"

"Sorry, Gatrie, I'm already called for."

"Why, beloved Amy? Why must you leave me?!"

"I'm with Kris. You know this. Now stop pestering me…" Amy tightened her grip on her bow.

"I… Want… Your…"

"You pig!"

Amy tried to fire an arrow at Gatrie to shut him up, but Gatrie refused to go down…

Amy began to flee, with love-struck Gatrie hot on her tail.

Lucia watched the scene with disgust: "Not only do you betray Ilyana, you try to force Amy to turn on her mate like you turned on yours… I am sick of you. You remind me of that pig Bastian, who will never go away from me, even when I show him my obvious contempt… You remind me of my idiot Brother, filled with an arduous love for Elincia that is unfulfilled. He would do anything to "win her heart." He is stupid enough to get himself shish-kabobed by a thousand spears, so long as she looks at him… All these filthy men! I can't stand this anymore! I HATE MEN!" She screamed aloud.

Ike, Geoffrey, Soren, and all the other men could only stand there and stare as Lucia pulled out an Armorslayer and charged at Gatrie. Amy glanced at Lucia, unsure whether to thank her or to back away… The disturbing scene shocked everyone in Ike's army, and Ulki winced at Lucia's endless roar.

Gatrie ran as far as his legs could carry him (and as far as his armor could allow him), while Lucia closed in on him. Her blade soon met his armor, and Gatrie's scream could be heard from three miles away. Soren scoffed at the carnage, and Ulki hobbled to Rhys, begging for medical treatment. Janaff looked quite disturbed.

The enemy soldiers, hearing Lucia's roar, mistook it for the Begnion signal to charge. They rushed upon Ike's shocked troops. The battle looked bleak for the Crimean and Daein heroes…

An enemy lance was flung at Ilyana, who failed to dodge it. The spear pierced her chest, and she fell…

Soren was hit in the back by four arrows, and staggered as he tried to retaliate, but an enemy Paladin whacked him on the back of the head with an axe, and he collapsed upon the ground…

Lethe found herself engaging fifteen enemy generals, all with Laguz Lances. Without Lyre to support her, she failed to take them down before they could spear her.

Lyre and Relane were burned by Fire Sages, and Ranulf and Muarim were attacked on all sides by enemy forces...

Ike and Tanith tried to cut their way through the advancing enemy lines. But, as they were mortal, they easily became tired... They collapsed from exhaustion in front of waves of enemy troops.

Tauroneo and Titania tried to rally the others, but to no avail...

Gatrie tried to stand up, but Lucia's blows were too painful. Lucia yelled at him to fight, but he could not stand... Lucia thought she was going to die when an enemy Paladin held his Killer Lance and closed in on her...

Until she heard the twang of a bow...

And she felt a powerful arm lift her onto a saddle.

"Geoffrey?"

"No, it's Oscar. Did you see your brother at all?"

"Oscar..."

"Lucia?"

"Huh? Oh, right. I didn't... Since I was trying to teach Gatrie a lesson..."

"Well, we'll have to stick around Gatrie... Even if this means that they'll find us easier targets."

"Oscar... Thank you... But put me back on the ground, I can take them with you beside me..."

"Um, er... Very well, miss." Oscar replied as he let her slip off his saddle.

As Lucia and Oscar protected Gatrie, Calill and Tormod were blasting enemy troops.

"What would Soren do?" Calill thought aloud.

"That's it!" Sothe spoke as the two of them continued to cast spells. "I can strike the enemy and push them back while you two fry them with your spells... Soren always used the "Melee and Pelt" tactic against enemy troops. Let's use this tactic to save him!"

Thus, with Sothe's advice, the three of them tried to clear a path to the unconscious Soren. Kris, meanwhile, swung his axe and cleaved off the head of an enemy General. He rushed to help them. "Good to see you guys! I'll help ya! We're gonna win this one, like we've won every other battle! Soren just got caught off guard. He made the mistake of lettin' Gatrie get too close to Amy... That blue-armored jerk... But now, we're gonna save Soren!" Kris smiled as he stood beside Sothe.

Amy soon found Rolf, Nepheene, Astrid, and Kieran. The five of them spotted Cakil and Geoffrey fighting side by side against a horde of enemies. Kieran and Nepheene slowly cut a path through the mounds of enemy troops, and all of them were reunited.

"I will reach Rhys and Mia! By my honor as a Knight of Crimea, Rhys will be rescued and brought here!" Kieran yelled as he charged back toward the enemy forces. Cakil, now having befriended Kieran to the point of brotherhood, immediately reared his horse and went to join Kieran. Geoffrey, being the highest ranking officer present, assumed command and asked Calill for advice.

"Calill, can you tell me the likelihood of us reuniting with Tauroneo or Titania soon?"  
"Doesn't look like we will... The two of them are with Boyd, at least that's when I last saw them. I think we're on our own..."

"Then we'll fight on. Comrades, we will prevail!" Geoffrey cheered.

Tauroneo, Titania, and Boyd were fighting not far from Rhys and Mia. The older General finally let out a battle cry and rushed between his foes, slaying many of them until he arrived at Rhys's side. "Rhys, Ilyana needs your help." Tauroneo informed him.

Boyd soon cut through, and Titania arrived with the beaten Ilyana. Rhys immediately healed her while Mia and Boyd looked on. Tauroneo and Titania began to discuss a new plan of action. "We have no idea whatever happened to Geoffrey, Oscar, Cakil, or Ike. Soren went down a while ago, and we don't know if he's still alive. Our only chance will be to stay alive until we can see the others... If they are still alive." Tauroneo sighed.

"Tauroneo, you lack faith in our comrades. We have all fought so hard together. You may be a powerful warrior, but you are not the only one. We will find the others. I'm sure of it." Titania spoke.

"I hope so..." Boyd muttered.

Ilyana readied her tome. "I can't let them get away... Not when they almost killed me." She mumbled.

At this moment, the small group saw Janaff and Ulki appear. "Are you ok?" Janaff called.

"We're fine, comrade! Good to see you!" Tauroneo greeted.

"Yes... The enemy is strong and well fortified. Our brother hawks are having a very difficult time." Ulki nodded.

"Wait... I see Ravens!" Janaff crowed.

Enemy ravens began closing in on our heroes.

Meanwhile, Ike slowly gathered resolve. When the enemy troops believed that he went down, they decided to stand around, assuming that they had practically captured him. Ike and Tanith were able to stand and take more of them down, until the Ravens came...

"What? Ike, can we make it?" Tanith muttered when she saw how many foes they had to deal with.

"I'm sure we can..." Ike muttered.

The two of them readied Ragnell and Alondite, uncertain of what fate would do to them.

Slowly, the Ravens inched closer and closer. Rolf spotted Marcia and the Pegasus Knights flying from a scattered formation into a strong group and attacking the Ravens head-on, but more came. Tauroneo soon spotted Muarim rushing out of the nearby grasslands, and the Green Tiger immediately greeted the small band.

"Ranulf... Was beaten. He and I were cut off from each other. I don't know what happened to him. Lethe, Lyre, and Relane are all lost for all I know. I last saw Mordecai fighting with several enemy warriors, but there were many archers, and they prevented me from helping him. I come here to help you fight off our foes, but I am worried that many of us may have been slain..." Muarim sighed.

"Regardless, Muarim, you are alive. What matters to us now are the comrades who have survived. For all we know, we nine may be the last ones left. Ike and Tanith may both be dead. But we will survive this battle! We will never let the world forget our pains and toils! We shall prevail!" Titania raised her axe, and Tauroneo raised the Wishblade. The nine of them gained new life, and were overjoyed to see Kieran and Cakil approach them.

"Geoffrey and the others are still alive. Let's go meet them." Cakil panted.

"The two of us will head out first. You guys can follow. We'll try to secure our path of retreat." Janaff nodded.

Thus, all twenty were reunited. "Well, Rolf, you're here, but where's Oscar?" Boyd asked.

"We have no idea, but we won't quit until we find him." Geoffrey replied.

"We shall live, all of us. Muarim, where did you last see Ranulf?" Kieran asked.

"That way, through the grass..."

"Then we will go save him! Onward!" Tauroneo shouted.

Soon, Lethe, Lyre, and Relane found Ranulf and were protecting him, when the others arrived. "Muarim! I am overjoyed to see you alive!"

"Same here, Lethe. Have you found Soren?"

"No... I hope he is not dead..." Lethe looked as though she was about to shed tears.

"Don't worry, Lethe. Soren is a strong Sage. He is not likely to die here." Ranulf tried to comfort her.

"Sister, we'll find Soren. I'm sure of it." Lyre nodded.

"Wait! I see Kris, and Calill! Soren is with them!" Janaff squawked excitedly.  
"Then what are we waiting for? Let us reach them!" Ulki spoke.

Cakil rode forward, urging Geoffrey and Kieran to join him. Titania reared her horse to help, and the four paladins cut their way to Soren's side.

Soren panted, too exhausted to move. As Rhys cared for him, Lethe asked him: "Soren, did you see Ike?"

"I was beaten down, Lethe, before I could see anyone... I know just as much as the rest of you about Ike... But, it is a blessing to see that so many of us are alive. Now, we must find a way to reach Ike and Tanith... Oscar, Lucia, Gatrie, Stefan, Nasir, and Zihark are also missing, but we will find them too. Even if we learn of their passing, we are still so lucky to have each other." Soren spoke.

Meanwhile, Nasir had already morphed into a White Dragon and cleared his way to Stefan's side. Zihark soon cut his way through to join them, and the three of them found Oscar and Lucia. "Here, Gatrie, drink up..." Nasir told Gatrie as he held an Elixir. The General finally stood up and was ready to fight.

"What a wimp." Lucia sighed as she glared at Gatrie.

"We must move on, everyone. We have to find the others." Nasir spoke.

"Right... I do hope that Soren and the others are fine." Stefan nodded.

"We won't know until we press forward." Oscar added.

"These filthy men will all pay!" Lucia growled.

They continued slashing their way through, but as they were fighting, Ike and Tanith were starting to have trouble.

"Ha... Just when I thought that I was stronger..."

"Ike... We're not going to make it..."

"Tanith, don't say that... We'll have our wedding day, I know it..."

The two warriors found it extremely difficult to continue fighting.

An enemy Halberdier taunted Ike: "So, the great General who saved Crimea, beat Daein, saved Daein, and killed so many of Begnion's finest warriors is finally defeated. Now you die, General Ike of Crimea!"

However, a voice bellowed from the clouds:  
"NO! He shall not die! Tellius shall not be destroyed by scum like you!"

A streak of brown flew from the skies and smashed into the Halberdier. The enemy warrior died instantly.

"Stalker!"

Stalker whistled and nearly eighty ravens flew down from the sky. Nealuchi slowly flapped his wings to see Ike as well.

"Ike, I'm surprised to find you tired like this."

"Stalker, you saved my life..."

"A life for a life. You spared mine, so I saved yours." Stalker smirked.

"Do you noble ravens know that your brothers also attacked us in great numbers?" Tanith spoke.

"Yes, we do... I'm sorry, Ike, Tanith, but I was not able to gather as many Ravens as I had hoped. We have less than 200 members strong in our revolutionary band. Naesala still has many supporters, mainly because he's been king for the last 250 years." Stalker scoffed.

"Sorry to hear that..." Ike panted again.

"Now, my brothers will help clear the surrounding area of the pathetic Begnion soldiers, and..."

"Master Stalker, we are being fired upon!" A raven shouted.

Amy appeared over a nearby hill, seeing her error, she immediately threw down her bow.

"Good to see you!" Ike shouted.

Just at that moment, the others appeared. Ike felt overjoyed that none of his old comrades fell in this battle. Oscar and his group appeared from behind Ike, while everyone else appeared before him. Our heroes were finally reunited.

"They caught us with our pants down... But it's time to be givin' some back!" Kris yelled as he raised his axe. Soren and the others joined in... They vowed that they would never fall for Begnion's treachery again!

I will introduce a new nation next chapter.

Please Read and Review!


	43. Revolution

This chapter may be my shortest one yet.

Chapter 42: Revolution

The easternmost province of Toldor was the Begnion province least affected by both Great Wars, which is why the taxes for the area were the highest on record. The standard of living for the people of that province decreased dramatically, as Sanaki shoved ridiculously high taxes down their throats to fund her wars and to make enough money to fulfill her ultimate desire. Even now, with the medallion in her hand, Sanaki still thought that she could increase taxes for the province... But she was proven wrong.

The governor of Toldor, Duke Tendin, decided that enough was enough. He assumed the rank of King of Toldor, and was given unanimous support by the people of the province, as well as by all the military forces stationed there. At Nulox bridge, the large bridge that divided Toldor and Ankor provinces from the rest of Begnion, the combined might of both Toldor and Ankor province (as Ankor province resented Sanaki's taxing of them and ignoring of their needs) defeated the Begnion army guarding the bridge. The nation of Toldor was thus established, with Tendin as its King.

With Toldor having split from Begnion, the furious Apostle ordered her armies to march upon the Bridge. Unfortunately, they were defeated once again. The sickened Sanaki left a substantial amount of troops to hold off the Toldoran forces, while the rest of the Begnion forces were sent to defend the nation. In other words, destroy Ike's army.

The nation of Daein was the first to hear of Toldor's revolution, as Daein was the nearest of the allied nations to Toldor. Daein immediately sent envoys to Toldor as a proposal for an alliance, but King Tendin, wishing for the certainty of Toldor's sovereignty, killed the messenger. From that point forward, relations between Toldor and Daein were hostile.

Crimea, with Daein's consent, decided to send another envoy to try to patch up relations. The envoy was mugged by Toldoran troops guarding the mountain pass separating Daein from Toldor. He was robbed of all goods and spat on by those troops. Humiliated, the envoy was forced to reenter Daein, where he was treated kindly and envoys were sent to Crimea informing Elincia of the situation. Both Jill and Elincia agreed that an alliance with Toldor was definitely not worth the effort. A hostile nation like that would be a horrible ally indeed.

With this in mind, Jill sent a weary message to Ike and Tauroneo's troops in the field: avoid Toldor at all costs, for they were also foes of the Alliance. Both Generals were quite sad that relations had become so poor between Daein, Crimea, and a potential ally. But, they accepted the circumstances and marched on...

Don't worry, you'll be seeing more chapters soon!


	44. A Decisive Retreat

Before you continue, I'd like to extend a word of thanks:

I thank everyone who reviewed, especially you, Sarah'sTwilight (as you are the only person, as far as I see it, who has kept up with the story the whole time.) As you may know, I plan to become a writer someday. This is only a warm-up for the stories I plan to publish in the future.

I fear that my skill as a writer may not be as great as I had hoped, yet I see that there are more than 3100 hits to this story, and it makes me shocked, and, admittedly, very pleased.

I thank everyone who's been reading this story. The more you read it, the happier I get!

Chapter 43: A Decisive Retreat

Janaff scanned the enemy formation ahead: "Looks like an average sized ambush." He spoke.

"Typical. They always try to use ambushes to scare us. Boyd, come here." Soren ordered.

"Huh? Me?"

"Yes. Now, you've always told me how you could easily beat up the entire Begnion army. You always complain of the mistakes Ike makes and how you could fix them. Well, words are merely words, until they are proven by deeds. Prove yourself to us. I will give you Nepheene, Zihark, Relane, Calill, Tormod, Sothe, Gatrie, Rolf, Makalov, and Largo as inferior officers. Make us proud." Soren spoke.

"Soren, are you sure this is wise? Giving Boyd a post?" Titania asked.

"We won't know until we give Boyd a chance." Soren nodded grimly.

"I won't let you down, Soren!" Boyd smiled.

"Making me Boyd's inferior! Are you making fun of me, or something?!" Gatrie yelled.

"Calm down, Gatrie." Ilyana's sweet voice made him shut up.

Boyd smirked at Gatrie, and gathered the 200 soldiers Soren had generously given him.

"Did Soren get some kind of head disease, or something when he was downed? This does not sound like him!" Lethe whispered in Ike's ear.

Ike chucked: "Lethe, you should know well enough that Soren has a backup plan in case something goes wrong."

"He always does, but I can assure you that something will go wrong."

Ike looked uneasily at Boyd after Lethe gave her fine argument. "Lethe's right... What if Boyd is going to mess this up, like he always does? I hope Soren knows what he's doing..." Ike thought as beads of sweat trickled down his spine.

Muarim and Corrine talked to Tormod. "Be careful, Little One." Muarim reminded him.

"You get so sentimental. I'll be fine. Sothe and Calill are watching my back."

"Really, be careful." Corrine spoke with worried eyes.

"I'll be fine." Tormod repeated softly.  
Meanwhile, Stalker was staring at Corrine.

"My brother always pointed out the beauties of Kilvas to me, but I have never seen a girl... Like... Her..." Stalker muttered.

Nealuchi snickered: "Isn't it a little early for you to be smitten by her?"

"Grr... You heard nothing." Stalker snapped.

"You can't hide it from me, Stalker. You are smitten by that girl. She's not from Kilvas. She's a former slave. You are a retainer of the King, or were one. Your ranks are too far apart. Your peers would not accept her as your mate." Nealuchi spoke.

"I don't care. I don't care about them. They are all toadies who fawn after Naesala, anyways... She is so beautiful... And, as a slave, she is talented enough to free herself from bondage and lead an army of former slaves to a safe place. She would be a fine wife... But would I be a fine mate for someone of her caliber?" Stalker mused.

"Don't belittle yourself, Stalker. You are a fine warrior, and one of honor. You set aside hatred for the betterment of the continent. You saved the life of the man who took your brother's. You are a noble man. You two would make a fine pair, so long as fate wills it." Nealuchi replied.

Stalker's face flashed a smile, but soon returned to his stern look. "I better keep myself calm. I need to be there for Ike when he needs me." He spoke as he regained seriousness.

Boyd led his troops to engage the Begnion army. He asked Calill to serve as his advisor, and she wasn't very thrilled. As their forces engaged, the Begnion commander noticed that Boyd did not seem to know what he was doing. Tormod was positioned in the front lines, and General Gatrie was positioned far in the rear. "What the heck? Boyd! I need cover! These spears are getting too close!" Tormod yelled.

"I'm so far away... It's taking me forever to drag myself to lance some people... Heck, even Tormod's in front of me... You're either telling me to take a break, or your telling me that you don't know what you're doing. My professional opinion is that you do not know what you are doing. That's pathetic, Boyd!" Gatrie sighed as he trudged forward.

The enemy general ordered his calvary to strike Boyd's right flank. Boyd was too busy rushing in the very front with Largo, cleaving people, that he had no idea that his troops were under attack, until he heard their screams. "Well," thought Gatrie, "at least I have the chance to lance people now." He slowly lumbered forward and attacked the enemy flank head on.

In fact, had it not been for Gatrie, Boyd's supply line would have been raided and he would have been isolated from Ike's watching (and crying) army. Boyd, seeing the situation, suddenly felt a sense of fear. "I'm gonna die... I'm really gonna die..." He thought. Just when Gatrie had finished lancing the last of the enemy units that made up the enemy flank, Boyd shouted: "Everyone! Retreat!"

"But I just saved your neck... Our position is secure. Your best bet would be to follow this up with a frontal strike. We can end this fight..." Gatrie shot back.

"You're not the Commander, I am... And I say that we retreat." Boyd ordered.

"Boyd! I can feather people from a distance! I've practically feathered half of their calvary. Even if you're slow, you have nothing to worry about anymore. We can end this now!" Rolf shouted.

"Shut up, pipsqueak! I said, retreat!" Boyd yelled again.

Boyd's surviving 170 soldiers stared at their Commander as though he was an idiot. They had just gotten themselves out of danger, and were fully able to break their opponent's lines, yet he wanted to retreat... But they had to do it.

The moment they began retreating, the enemy Commander saw Boyd's incompetence and ordered his forces to pester Boyd. These strikes scared Boyd out of his wits, making him run for dear life. Thus, more of Boyd's troops were slain like cowards when their lives could have been spent in glory. Soren, watching these events from a distance, calmly stepped to a tree and rammed his head into it. As Ike and the others stared, Soren continued to ram his head against the tree, yelling: "WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY...!"

Boyd's decisive retreat cost Ike's army 40 troops, and had heightened the moral of the Begnion army. From then on, a warrior who retreated in the moment of security was initiating a "Boyd Maneuver." Boyd, proud and shameless as usual, bragged of how he, as a commander, was in the front lines taking down troops. Everyone else, however, knew better.

Yep, I do not like Boyd.

Please Read and Review.


	45. Desperate Moves

Sorry if this, or the last chapter sounds (sounded) corny, but I really can't think of how to write the next few chapters.

My goal, admittedly, is to have 52 chapters of this tale... From the saving of Daein to the death of Sephiran (oops, Spoiler), but I can't seem to write well enough to bridge the "good" ending with the story so far. (Yep, spoiler, there are two endings planned for this fic. The bad one is very depressing. Evil Snicker.)

Anyways, please enjoy:

Chapter 44: Desperate Moves

Having just won a victory against Ike's army, the Begnion commander still decided to retreat. As Ike's force began a pursuit, the enemy army suddenly turned and attacked.

Corrine was among the bird laguz in Ike's army who were flying in formation to pick off enemy stragglers. When the enemy suddenly counter-attacked, they fired several arrows in the air. Ulki heard the arrows and Janaff saw them, so the two of them were able to flee, but Corrine could not see any of the arrows... However, Stalker, seeing her about to get feathered, flew forward and rammed her aside. The arrows flew at him instead, but Stalker instinctively dodged the majority of them. Had he not done anything, Stalker would have watched as Corrine flew straight into the volley of arrows.

Corrine was quite annoyed when she was suddenly shoved aside, but when she saw how Stalker had taken an entire volley of arrows for her, she felt quite surprised. "He'd protect me from arrows? What I heard from Tormod and Muarim was that the ravens of Kilvas were selfish and gold-hungry fellows, who would not help another person unless their lives depended on it, or if they payed well. Yet, this Stalker fellow saves Ike when Ike killed his brother. And now, he saves me. Maybe I should've looked at the ravens with my own eyes rather than listen to Tormod's stories." She thought.

"I see that Corrine is more interested in Tormod than you, Stalker." Nealuchi observed grimly.

"That is truly sickening... Tormod is a beorc. Beorc and Laguz will have children who will be damned for eternity, like Masters Soren and Stefan. She cannot allow her child to have the same pain as those two did! She cannot..." Stalker looked at her with sad eyes.

"Stalker, maybe you should forget about her..."

"How could I, Nealuchi? For years, I have lived in Kilvas with all the women fawning after Naesala. I cannot stand that greedy dastard... Yet, they all love him. For the first time, I meet a Raven girl who is so talented and who does not feel any obligation to respect Naesala. I cannot leave her so readily..."

The old raven sighed: "Love is blind."

"I may be blinded, but I am happy seeing only darkness."

Nealuchi shook his head and the two ravens hovered next to each other in silence.

The Begnion and Crimean/Daein forces continued exchanging fire, and our laguz heroes found themselves facing not only Kilvas ravens, but also Feral Ones! Mordecai was among the first few laguz who charged at the Feral Ones, but the latter seemed more powerful than ever. "Izuka must be helping Begnion. I'm sure of it. We would not have seen Feral Ones had Izuka fled into exile. I'll bet that he was with the Apostle from the beginning. Everyone, prepare yourselves. I'm certain they'll be a lot more Feral Ones that will come. The Begnion Empire would rather waste the lives of laguz prisoners than the lives of their own soldiers. This will not be the only wave we will be facing... But we have the upper hand! We shall crush them! Just bear with me... Grit your teeth and bear the pain. March forward and show those Begnion fools who we really are!" Soren yelled.

Two walls appeared on the battlefield. The bricks were people. One wall was formed from the Crimean/Daein/Gallian/Phoenician army. The other was formed from the Begnion/Kilvas army. The two walls smashed into each other, and both shattered apart as bricks were submerged by other bricks.

Once again, the Begnion troops, realizing that too many casualties would not be worth the effort, fled back to Sienne. Soren ordered his troops not to pursue them, and the army rested. It seemed only a matter of time before Begnion would be defeated.

Read and Review, please. 


	46. The Rise of Darkness

With over 3200 hits, and two new favorites, methinks that I am doing a good job with this thing.

Chapter 45: The Rise of Darkness

Sanaki stood on her pedestal in Mainal Temple. "My people! Our comrades of Kilvas have never left our side. But, even with their help, the ragtag, brutish army of Crimea, Daein, Gallia, and Phoenicis has gathered strength and is marching toward Fort Blanche. I have called General Zelgius, Earl of Kadohl, here to help inform you of the situation.

Sanaki stepped down, and General Zelgius stepped forward: "Yes, well, the Begnion army has engaged the enemy several times, but we have never had a decisive victory. My brother, General Plutarch, Earl of Razia, has attacked the enemy several times, but to no avail. He is now guarding Fort Blanche from the enemy's final thrust. Together, people of Begnion, we can win this war, as long as you are willing to join the Begnion army. We will free our conquered territories and our enslaved brethren from the four foul nations who have allied against us! We will woo back our weyward brethren of Toldor! We shall prevail! Join us!" Zelgius shouted. The people cheered.

Duke Leakin, however, looked apprehensive. He thought to himself: "Is this truly worth it? We have killed so many sub-humans that, what could have once been called defending our lands is now simply a crime. We butchered them like cattle. Many of them were women and children, hardly intending to or capable of killing us. Yet, we murdered them. We made the streets of their cities fill with blood. Yes, they are inferior beings. Yes, many are vicious and bloodthirsty, but does it make us moral to go slaughter them when they did nothing to harm us? Not only have we ruined the lives of the Gallian sub-humans, we have also destroyed the lives of the Daein people. They were raped, butchered, and robbed just as badly as the Gallians. But does our army seem to care? No. There once was a time when I felt proud being a Duke of Begnion. I stood up for the Apostle and for the Begnion social hierarchy. But now, now this is madness. Now, the Apostle does not care for the goodwill of the Begnion people, but for herself. Now, our army goes to kill innocent lives instead of to protect Begnion citizens. I cannot stand this any longer. Even though this means I must lose my title as a Duke... Even if this means that I will have to stand beside sub-humans... I will do so willingly. I must save Begnion from the Apostle, from Zelgius, and from its own folly. I must leave this place and join Ike and his army."

Sephiran was observing Leakin, and noted that he was acting strange when the Apostle was making her speech. Later, that evening, Sephiran confronted Leakin:

"I see that you were not listening attentively to the Apostle's speech."

"What do you mean? Of course I was."

"You have committed treason."

"Then I will die. Come, thrust your laws upon me. Kill me before I stop this madness once and for all!"

Sephiran smiled: "Actually, I am on your side. The Apostle has gone too far. Leakin, if you gather your private guard, and I rally mine, we can flee from here and join Ike's army as they march upon Fort Blanche. Hopefully, we can save all of Begnion from the Apostle's twisted schemes."

"I am thankful for your wisdom, Prime Minister. I will gather my guards. We shall leave as soon as possible." Leakin nodded.

The Duke and the Prime Minister of Begnion fled that night. Once she heard of the situation, the Apostle immediately placed a bounty on their heads. This did not surprise Zelgius or the other Begnion loyalists in the least. The Apostle was a powerful ruler, and she would never let traitors flee from the Empire without grave punishments.

Ike's army marched toward Fort Blanche, weary and ready for any sudden attack the Begnion army might pull on them. Suddenly, several armed warriors appeared. They emerged from the trees, so Janaff did not spot them in advance. Before Rolf, Amy, or the other archers could greet them with arrows, however, Sephiran appeared and asked for a parley with Ike.

"This is Sephiran, formerly Prime Minister of Begnion. I have Duke Leakin, formerly a member of the Begnion Senate, here with me. We are both sick of the corruption and the deceitfulness of the Apostle, Zelgius, and their minions. We ask for a reprieve within your ranks. Leakin is a skilled Bishop, and I could serve as either a Bishop or a Sage, whatever you'd like. We are both quite willing to serve your army to the bitter end."

Ike smiled and bowed: "It's been a long time, Sephiran. I'm glad to see that you are willing to help us out. And Leakin, aren't you Lekain of the Senate? You're the same guy who called me a 'wretched peasant,' right? What is your opinion of me now, Duke?"

"I completely retract my statement, good sir. There was a time when I was a loyal minister of Sanaki. Like a sheep, I obeyed her without question. Unfortunately, the time has come for reason. What Sanaki and Zelgius have done to Tellius is unforgivable. I once believed in Begnion's social hierarchy, but now, now reason has taken precedence over emotions. I am now fully willing to betray what I once stood for as long as Tellius is saved from destruction. I am willing to face a thousand spears to see Begnion reunited under a benevolent banner. I will do whatever it takes to save our continent from oblivion. You can trust me without a doubt, young General. Your wish is my command.

"As for my name, I truly dislike the name 'Lekain.' It makes me sound like a wooden stick; like an old cane. I am not a wooden stick. I am a Minister of Begnion. Thus, I felt that my changed name allows me to be much more informal and friendly. I am not a stiff bureaucrat, but a scholarly, wine-loving, otherwise ordinary man like any other old warrior. There is no need for me to sound like a stick of wood." Leakin bowed and chortled.

"Hsss... Ike, I do not trust the look in their eyes... They may betray us on the account of many of my brothers being allies in your army. Since Muarim is very sensitive regarding Begnion nobles, I fear that he may go out of hand, and that there may be a fight. We should thank them for their offer, but refuse their services. There's still time." Lethe whispered in Ike's ear.

Ike nodded, but turned to Leakin and Sephiran. "You two can tag along, on one condition."

"Yes?" Both asked attentively.

"You will not utter the phrases 'sub-human' or 'half-beast' at all. If you do, I am not liable if Ulki crushes your bones with his beak or if Muarim tears you to pieces with his claws. The same goes for the rest of my laguz friends and comrades. They are all very dear to everyone in my army, from the veterans to the common private. To use such terminology at all, even when you are not in their presence, is an atrocious insult to their dignity. As long as you can accept these conditions, and abide them at all times (Ulki can easily inform me whether you've used these phrases or not), I can ensure you that if you follow such rules, you will find several of them to be quite friendly. Mordecai here likes to converse with newcomers, especially beorc. Janaff, Ranulf, and Lyre tell jokes. Lethe is a great opponent in debates. Muarim is a fine drinking partner, and debater... when he's sober. The rest are all quite amiable when you get to know them. I'm certain that if you allow your human consciousness, rather than inhuman prejudice, control you, will make several fine laguz friends. With that said, welcome to our army." Ike smirked.

Thus, Leakin was appointed as a Bishop. With Rhys, he would aid in the healing of allies. Leakin had also mastered the Norstefasu tome, and could use it in combat, along with Purge. (Tomenami was stationed back at Daein to help the King and Queen.)

Sephiran was appointed as a special Sage. He could cast all forms of Light Magic, including the legendary Rexaura. Sephiran also mastered Tornado, Bolgagon, and Thoron. As a Sage, he was powerful enough to outclass Soren in both Thunder and Fire. Unfortunately, though, Sephiran was Omega class in Light, but A class in everything else, so Soren was still the best Wind Sage in Ike's army.

Thus, Leakin and Sephiran, along with their guards, joined Ike on the march to Fort Blanche. The sky was cloudy and gloomy, but with new friends, Ike and his comrades marched quite lightheartedly to their next battle.

The next chapter has new and confirmed pairings, random humor, and, based on the request of my reviewer (yeah, people, I'd like it if you'd start reviewing...), MORE VIOLENCE!

Now, with that said, please stay tuned.

May I make a request for some more reviews?


	47. The Stains on Teary Plains

Chapter 46: The Stains on Teary Plains

General Cakil of the Daein Regal Army was assigned to the front line by General Ike of the Crimean Royal Guards. Most Generals would be quite uneasy about such positioning. After all, who likes to be the first person to get shot while your comrades merely point and laugh? None, that is, except for people like Generals Kieran and Cakil.

So, now that he was finally assigned to be the first person to get shot, Cakil began to actively train himself for the occasion. Grabbing his lance, he began by spinning it right over his head. Though he hit himself much more than once, Cakil still persistently did so. When a skeptical Geoffrey asked him what the heck he was doing, Cakil politely responded: "I'm practicing for a critical, so when I spear my opponents, I can look glorious while doing it." Geoffrey promptly rolled his eyes and walked away.

After a few more days of training, Ike ordered Janaff to go spot out the key Begnion positions guarding the fort. In only five hours, Janaff returned with a full report.

"It looks like they know exactly where we're coming from, so they've prepared several armored divisions to engage us the moment we arrive. If we were to engage from another flank, it would take too much energy and time. By then, they could simply adapt to our changed attack plan and reorganize their forces, so they'd still meet us in a powerful formation by the time we arrive. Thus, we will have to get there much faster. We'll need Paladins for that. That's why I suggest we still keep Cakil in the front lines." Janaff spoke.

Cakil shocked everybody by cheering, and both Cakil and Kieran got into a frenzy. "As honorable Knights of Tellius, we shall not be afraid when we ride right into a flurry of arrows, or if we get stabbed at by a thousand Begnion spears, or if we get hit by the powerful wind blasts from a strong enemy Wind Sage, or if we get run over by our own allies during a charge, or..." Kieran continued to blabber on with his 'glorious' nonsense to such a degree that even Cakil had to smack him on the back of the head.

When Kieran was thus knocked out cold, Cakil continued: "We soldiers of Daein are strong and proud. We will not fail in any attack. General Tauroneo has proven to you how powerful and skilled Daein Generals are. I'm sure that Her Majesty Jill showed you all the might of the Daein Wyvern Lords. With such proof of competence by my comrades, why do you fear that anything wrong will happen when I am engaging the enemy? I can assure you that I will make mincemeat out of every enemy General or Paladin I see. I don't carry this Knight Killer or this Longsword for nothing, you know."

"Yes, Cakil, but you've always been so reckless. Kieran may spout gibberish half the time, but at least he does not try to get himself killed..." Titania began, but soon changed her mind. "Well, maybe he does, but not as often as you. Now, if you can show us that you will not be so reckless, but keep a cool head and guide our fellow Paladins to victory, then Oscar will cook you dinner, Geoffrey will shine your boots, and I will give you a massage. Deal?" Titania winked.

For a moment, Tauroneo had a very jealous look on his face.

Cakil promptly agreed to Titania's offer, and so, he willingly went first as Ike's army began to march.

Meanwhile, General Plutarch was waiting for them. Plutarch had gathered 10,000 of Begnion's elite warriors to Fort Blanche to fight Ike's army. Considering that there were fewer than 30,000 soldiers left, a defeat here would prove to be a disaster for the Begnion army. A victory here would also mean that Ike's army would practically reduce Begnion territory to the small fortification south of Nulox bridge and the city of Sienne.

In a short time, Ike's army arrived at Fort Blanche. As predicted, a huge band of Generals engaged Cakil and the other Paladins. Cakil swung his spear and shish-kabobed three enemy Generals simultaneously with his Knight Killer. Unfortunately, his spear got stuck, so when he tried to pull it out of the three gasping warriors, two paladins charged at him from the right and left sides. Cakil pulled out his Longsword, gave it a twirl, ducked, and swung his blade. Thus, he chopped off both his attacking foe's heads with one stroke.

Cakil finally managed to pull his Knight Killer out of the three dead Begnion Generals, but didn't pay attention to what was behind him. A Begnion Sniper slowly got into position while Cakil was trying to pull his lance out of his foes, and was ready to fire, when he heard a cawing noise from above him. Stalker flew down and crushed his opponent's head, and the enemy Sniper was killed instantly.

Eventually, Titania, Oscar, Geoffrey, and Kieran arrived. Oscar and Kieran rode side by side, stabbing and slashing off enemy limbs left and right. "This brings back so many memories... Remember those old days when you and I were ordinary Knights of Crimea, fighting the Daein border skirmishers?" Oscar smiled at Kieran.

"Yes. As a fellow honorable Knight of Crimea, I must say that those were very pleasant experiences." Kieran nodded.

Oscar groaned to himself: "More gibberish. Will he ever shut up?"

Suddenly, as the two were fighting, an enemy Swordmaster smacked Kieran with a Longsword, and Kieran was knocked off his horse. Oscar quickly lanced the treacherous attacker, but three Warriors appeared. One fired at Oscar with a Killer Bow, and Oscar, trying his best to avoid the fatal arrow, was too distracted to notice the other two Warrior's Poleaxes. They swung their weapons at Oscar, and nearly knocked the green knight off his horse. Oscar tried to counter attack, but missed as he was panicking. The two Warriors continued to torture him with their axes, and Oscar found that he could hardly defend himself. For the first time ever, Oscar began to fear that he was going to die.

At that moment, Lucia ran forward with a Killing Edge. Screaming at the top of her lungs, she spun around and killed both the Warriors who attacked Oscar with their poleaxes. When the third Warrior tried to shoot at her, Oscar took the opportunity to use his Steel Bow to feather him.

Lucia smiled and looked up at Oscar: "You are such a powerful warrior... Oscar... It's rare to see you in trouble. I just did what I should have done for you so many years ago, brave knight. When you're in trouble, you have only your allies to depend on. You saved my life back there at that site a few days back, and I've saved you here, General... I regret that I can't do more..." Lucia spoke. She turned and saw Geoffrey in trouble with several enemy paladins equipped with Longbows and Knight Killers. "Excuse me, I have to go save my brother... General Oscar..." She smiled and ran off.

"So, she goes from wanting to kill all guys to saving my neck and praising the heck out of me... Hmm... I'll take that as a good sign." Oscar muttered. Kieran smiled as he healed himself and remounted his horse. "Admit it, she likes you, just like Marcia likes me. Ah, dearest Marcia... I miss her already. Why did Ike have to station her on the opposite side of the battlefield? Still, just as I am expecting my own wedding day with Marcia, I am sure that Lucia will be your happy bride." Kieran laughed.

Titania was hacking to and fro with her axe, but the enemy units around her got smarter. The Warriors and Halberdiers fled, but the Swordmasters all approached her with Killer Edges and Longswords. The Snipers stood from a distance with Longbows and Killer Bows, and, thus, they completely surrounded her. Titania tried to hold them off with a Short Spear, but she failed to. The Swordmasters got in close, and they hacked at every part of her body. Titania screamed for help as she closed her eyes, ready to die for Crimea...

But the pain suddenly stopped... She heard screams all around her, but she was no longer attacked.

Titania opened her eyes, and saw Tauroneo panting and standing in front of her, with mounds of dead Begnion Swordmasters and Snipers near him. A few Daein Wyvern Lords and General Sothe were standing around, saluting Titania as she glanced at them.

"Titania, are you hurt? Were they able to injure you significantly?"

"No, Tauroneo, I'm fine... But, but how were you able to save me?"

"Those bloodthirsty fools do not pay attention to their surroundings. All they could see was you in such a critical position, and, thus, they spent all their attention attacking you. I was able to sneak up to them and lance every single one of them. By the time they noticed me, I used Short Spears to kill them before they could shoot me. Thankfully, you are still alive, and your injures do not seem critical..."

"General, thank you... Thank you very much. I thought I was going to die... If you weren't there, I... might have..." Titania smiled at him.

"No need to worry... Titania." Tauroneo tried his best not to blush, but Titania saw right through him.

"General, if you think the deal I made with Cakil sounded like a romantic pass at him, then you are merely being paranoid."

"What?"

"Yes. I can tell that Cakil is 4 years younger than me. I tend to not like younger men. They lack experience, or the maturity to deal with older women. But you, General, are not like Cakil. You are also a Daein General, but you are quite prudent, and wise. You are very experienced in battle, and I heard that you once had a very high rank in the Daein army. Even now, you are the Supreme Commander of the DRA. I... Feel so honored to be in your presence, fighting alongside you against our foes. A simple Knight such as I is given the right to fight with a glorious veteran like you. It makes me feel so proud."

"Titania..."

"There was a time when I loved Gawain. He was such a great warrior, and a noble man. But, he is dead, and I realize that I must move on. I thanked you once for allowing Greil to not be pursued by an army of foes. Because of your help, young Ike and Mist were able to live a life of relative peace. I've been like a foster mother to Ike and Mist. I've taught them a lot about life, and I worked and fell in love with their father. But I never knew that Gawain had a friend like you. A friend who, to the bitter end, would protect his old friend's son. A friend who would so willingly risk life and limb to save those who aren't even related to him, or haven't even gotten very close to him. A friend who dedicated his life to honor and glory. It is said that a man can be judged by the kinds of friends he has. I should have known that you were a great man. I just didn't know that you could be this great. You are a champion among men, Tauroneo... I am so blessed to have your company..."

Tauroneo smirked: "In the old days, when we were still young, Gawain once asked me about the kind of girl I'd like. I told him: 'She would have to be strong-willed. A dedicated mother and wife, one who would stick with me no matter what mistake I'd make.' I married a woman I loved long ago, and had made a terrible mistake. I sacrificed my eldest son to continue the family tradition of serving the Daein Army as Generals, and I nearly sacrificed my youngest son to make him into a Daein General. For that, my wife left me, and now, she is dead... Slain my Mackoya's men. But now, I realize that I, too, must move on. My sons are dead, and I must make a new life for myself. I was a stupid man back then... Fixed with honor and pride. Now, I am a changed man. Now that Ike is quite secure, and seems to be more than ready to traverse this world, as he has already made quite a name for himself, I feel that it is time for me to do what I personally desire: to find a new love, and to make a new life for myself. Titania, are you willing to be that woman, to stand by me to the bitter end? I swear that our child will never face the same forceful teachings I once performed on Josh and his older brother. Now, I ask you, Titania, will you be my wife?"

Titania smiled at him: "Ask me later. Now, we have a battle to finish." She laughed.

Tauroneo looked away for a moment, but judging by the look on his face, he knew her answer.

The happy pair rushed to the aid of Geoffrey and Lucia, and found that Oscar and Kieran were doing the same. The six warriors were able to take out the enemy forces trying to take them out, and soon, they were able to go to help Cakil and Stalker. But they were not the only warriors fighting bravely on that day...

Stalker flew over the various warriors fighting near the fort. His eyes scanned the ground, looking for weakened Begnion soldiers or allies in need of assistance. Unfortunately, since he was so concerned with what was below him, he neglected to see what was above him.

"Vortex!" A voice shouted.

Stalker was hit by the wind spell, and glanced up.

There, Naesala was staring at him.

Naesala snickered: "So, my rebellious servant, you've betrayed me for these lunatics. I trusted you like I trusted your brother. Your brother was useless. He failed to bring back any notable goods. Now, you betray me. Your family is the scum of Kilvas, and I'll make sure that trash like you gets thrown away... Prepare to die!" Naesala swooped down on Stalker.

At that moment, a second raven appeared. Naesala did not predict such an attack, and the raven rammed its body into Naesala. "Corrine?" Stalker was shocked.

"King of Kilvas, I have heard many tales from my brother Muarim of how you abandoned your fellow Laguz at Tor Garen in the Great War. Today, you have chosen to abandon them once again. Muarim fought long and hard to end laguz slavery, yet, because he was a slave, you called him pathetic. You are the pathetic one! Muarim has fought so hard to free his fellow laguz, while you abandon them. The Kings of Gallia and Phoenicis have gladly supported our cause, yet you alone stand against us. Do not even think of touching Stalker. Of the Ravens of Kilvas, he is the most honorable one! He knows what is right and what is wrong. He threw away his desire to avenge his brother for the good of Tellius! Do you understand how much dignity one must have to do that, filthy crow?! For my brothers in the Grann Desert, and for all my fellow Ravens, I will rip your spine out of your back!" Corrine screeched.

"How cute. Two blackwinged lunatics. You two lovers will die together tonight. I won't be cruel and let only one of you live. Do you honestly think you could fight me? Then come, show me your strength... I'm sure you'll be wishing that you never saw me today!" Naesala cawed as he flew towards Corrine.

Stalker immediately dived and slashed at Naesala's neck. The shocked raven immediately flew away from to a safe distance, then blasted his two pursuers with Vortex spells. Corrine and Stalker flew in a two-pronged formation and closed in on Naesala. They both rammed their bodies into the enemy raven, and Naesala was twirling helplessly in the air before he finally regained his balance.

"I can defeat you both. Do you want to know how?" Naesala snickered. The royal raven continued by shooting a Vortex spell right at Corrine, knocking her out of balance. Naesala rammed himself into Corrine twice before Stalker was able to attack him. With Corrine badly hurt, Naesala turned and blasted Stalker with a spell.

"Do you see why you should never have betrayed me, Stalker?! Now, now you and this 'Corrine' slave shall be my servants. Stalker, you'll be castrated and later made a menial laborer for me, as you are quite well fed compared to many working-class ravens. Corrine will be my concubine... I'm certain that years of slave labor and 'fighting to free the slaves' has made her quite suitable to bear children. Neither of you can hope to win, so surrender." Naesala chuckled.

"You perverted crow! I'd rather die than mother an abomination like that!" Corrine screeched as she prepared to strike, but, since she was hurt, she was too slow. Naesala fired another Vortex spell, and Corrine was downed... She plummeted to the ground below.

Stalker immediately dived, and caught her with his talons. Before Naesala could fire another Vortex spell at Stalker, Amy aimed her bow and fired an arrow that pierced Naesala's back. "Die! You filthy raven, Die! You're the one who ordered those ravens to kill my friends! You'll never get a chance to hurt Stalker, or Corrine! For all the Branded who died that day, I won't let you!" Amy roared as she fired six arrows at Naesala. Four of those arrows pierced deeply into Naesala's flesh, and, in desperation, Naesala used Vortex to destroy one of the arrows. He quickly flew to safety and was able to avoid the other arrow, and thus, retreated from the battlefield.

Stalker softly landed on the ground, and Amy quickly ran next to him. In moments, Kris, Largo, and Calill were also there, and the three of them watched over Corrine. "If only I knew how to use staves... Tormod chose knives, too, so it will be difficult to heal her... Rhys is so far away, curses!" Calill muttered angrily. Stalker fished through the small bag he attached to his leg, and found an Elixir. He morphed back into humanoid form and, with shaking hands, poured the liquid down Corrine's throat.

Corrine coughed and opened her eyes. She was so relieved to see Stalker. As she looked into his eyes, she felt a little stunned. For so many years she had chased after Tormod, but the young boy didn't seem to notice anything. As Corrine thought about it, it was quite silly. She was already 110 years old, and Tormod would only be 14... Considering also that Tormod was very short for his age, Corrine thought that, in the end, their 'romance' could never work...

But this Stalker fellow... Seemed different. He was strong and dedicated. He would never turned his back on her. Tormod would constantly ignore her, and, once, had it not been for Muarim's rescuing of her, Corrine would have been killed by a Begnion official's hired Laguz Hunter. These were mages had daggers and mastered Elwind, Bolgagon, and Meteor. They were very deadly in fights against laguz, but Muarim braved their spells as he rushed to Corrine's aid. Tormod, only 12 then, could only stand there and shake in fear.

Corrine continued looking into Stalker's eyes, and so many memories passed through her mind. She had once thought that her fellow ravens were greedy and selfish, but Stalker was the complete opposite of that. He was a noble laguz indeed, a better man than many of her own comrades still in Grann Desert. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that she probably found the best guy possible for her...

Stalker sighed as he saw Corrine with a dreamy look in her eyes. "She's thinking of Tormod, I'm sure." He thought. He lifted her slightly, and as she flapped her wings, she began to hover in the air. He quickly flapped his wings and joined her in the air, and the others cheered for their success.

She looked at him, and the thought flashed through her mind. "How old are you, Stalker?" She blurted out.

"117 years old. Yeah, I'm pretty young for a raven. Surprising, huh?"

Corrine turned and blushed a little: "He's practically my age... A bit older, too!"

"Wait, Corrine, how old are you?"

"110."

"Really?" Stalker exclaimed, his eyebrow rising with interest. "Hmn, she's younger than me, yet she's led a much more meaningful life. Nealuchi humbles me by saying that I'd be a worthy mate for her." He thought.

Now that he was certain that Corrine was ok, Stalker decided to continue patrolling the area. He hoped to find Janaff or Ulki and join with their squadron. Corrine, however, insisted on flying with him. "It's always good if there are two of us, Stalker." She told him. Smiling inwardly, Stalker accepted her request, and the two flew side by side across the plain.

Amy, Kris, Largo, and Calill rallied a group of soldiers and decided to attack an enemy Halberdier platoon. As can be expected, Largo tore his way through their lines, Kris was able to cleave off the head of the commander, Amy feathered the retreating foes, and Calill fried them all with Meteor.

All around the fort, the screams of the fallen ringed through everyone's ears.

Trust me, the end of this story is near... I just haven't written it yet.

Please read and review!


	48. Showdown at Fort Blanche

The fight over Fort Blacnhe ain't over yet!

Chapter 47: Showdown at Fort Blanche

Ulki flew at high speed toward the wall of the Fort. With his skill, Vigilance, he easily dodged the dozens of arrows that were fired at him. As he pecked at the Fort's defenses, he was buying time for the rest of the Hawks to close in on Plutarch's position.

Stalker and Corrine, meanwhile, caught up with Janaff. "So, it's good to see you two. I thought you'd be with the other Ravens... I mean, isn't Nealuchi too old to command troops?" Janaff smirked with embarrassment.

"Well, Nealuchi insisted that he have precedence over my brothers. It seems that he takes full responsibility for Naesala's actions, as Nealuchi was Naesala's caretaker since our King was a nestling. Though Naesala has never given Nealuchi the thanks the old raven deserves, Nealuchi still takes a paternal role towards our King, and wants to teach him a lesson. I think Nealuchi is still under the impression that this 'lesson' is non-lethal. But I don't plan for it to be so simple for Naesala. That tyrant has to experience the pain that so many of my brother ravens have felt under his rule!" Stalker replied.

"True. I've always despised Naesala, and, I admit, I haven't had a very favorable opinion of you Kilvas ravens. However, Stalker, your actions have changed all that. Now, we'd better get going. Ulki might get whacked by a Wind tome if we aren't fast enough. We have to strike their defenses now, when Ulki is giving them hell. C'mon guys, let's move it." Janaff spoke.

Janaff, Corrine, and Stalker closed in on the Begnion gatekeepers. Ulki whistled as loud as he could, and more Hawks appeared. Thus, this large flock of Hawks and two Ravens tore the defending Begnion soldiers to shreds. The Begnion army, too arrogant for its own good, neglected to place Ballistas on the walls of the Fort. Thus, they failed to shoot down their aerial opponents. In a matter of minutes, the walls of the Fort were secure. The Begnion soldiers tried to reclaim it by climbing the steps of their fort, but Ulki and the others quickly sent them running back for cover.

But though the very top of the walls of Fort Blanche were secure, the land around the fort, and the gate itself, were not. Begnion soldiers, under some cover fire from Begnion snipers, still ran through the gate and attacked Ike's ground troops. Rolf and Amy feathered enemy Ravens that flew along the battlefield like vultures. When Naesala finally retreated and the Ravens lost morale, they practically fled, allowing the two key Snipers to focus on the Paladins and Generals emerging from the gate of the Fort.

The mountain from which the Ballista shot down Charles still stood in the distance, but several Crimean Royal Guard Paladins had already cleared the area of enemy troops. Thus, Marcia did not have to fear any big guns as she flew through the opposing lines and stabbed enemy units left and right. The Crimean Pegasus Knights terrorized their land based opponents, and the few Begnion Holy Guard troops that were present were outnumbered and defeated.

As Ike and Tanith slashed through the enemy lines, Tanith observed Marcia's attacks with solemn sorrow. "Ike, considering that we have few Holy Guard troops here, I suspect that we will be hit hard from the sky when we reach Sienne. The Apostle must have reserved them for her last stand. But with Sephiran on our side, I doubt that they'd be so eager to kill us all. I'm sorry, but when I stab a Begnion soldier, I do not feel that sense of ecstasy or pride. They were my comrades... I would have died for them not too long ago, but the tables have turned so quickly. Regardless, I will still serve this army with pride... But I cannot kill our foes with that same kind of pride..."

"Don't worry about it, Tanith. There's no need to make life harder for yourself." Ike nodded.

"But I do feel great amounts of pride killing these people." Stefan laughed from behind them.

"Stefan? Didn't I position you at the other side of the field?"

"Yes, Ike, but Lethe's practically cleared that area out. I came here to help you secure this one." Stefan smiled. "Besides, I don't see Muarim or any other laguz, nor do I see Tauroneo or any other General. Without some strong person to help you here, you might get yourself killed. I don't see why you'd be so cocky as to not have someone strong here watch your back."

"I left Tauroneo in charge of another flank. Muarim is currently under Ranulf's command, and he's attacking the Fort from the opposite side of us. Zihark and many of my vets may be elsewhere, but you didn't have to worry, Stefan. With Tanith, Marcia, Boyd, Rhys, and several other soldiers here, I would have done just fine. Thanks for caring, though." Ike smirked.

"No problem. No offense to you, Tanith, but I hate these Begnion thugs. The way they despised my people is truly an insult to Tellius. I feel no remorse when I dice them into pieces. Now, we've got to break that gate and get inside. Come, we should strike now. We can't afford giving them any extra time." Stefan raised his Vague Katti and ran towards the gate. Ike and Tanith followed him.

Meanwhile, the Gallian laguz division broke through the enemy gate. One of the Senate members, Duke Hetzel, appeared and shouted: "Sub-humans of Tellius! I'd advise you to cease your attack now. I have Sages here with Bolgagon and Meteor, as well as Generals equipped with Laguz Lances and Flame Lances. You are doomed. Surrender immediately or I will kill every single one of you." Before Ranulf could rebut, Muarim lept in front and roared:

"Pompous Git! You are unworthy of speaking to my brethren in such a manner! You defied the laws of your own nation by owning laguz slaves. The Goddess Ashera, who you claim to worship, never dictated that a laguz's life was worth less than a human's, but in her name, you enslaved us and forced many of my brethren to toil for your benefit. Yet, you show no sense of gratitude. Rather, you have a sense of joy in killing us! Blasphemer! Murderer! Foul Villain! Rest assured, you will not live to see the next moonrise. For all my fellow former slaves, I will enjoy sheering your flesh, even though my paws must be stained by your venomous blood. Prepare yourself, greybeard!"

Though fireballs rained on him like hail, though spears equipped with the special poison against Laguz were thrust at him, Muarim grit his teeth and beared the pain. He slipped past all of these warriors, and pounced on Hetzel. Muarim open his jaws and ripped out a chunk of Hetzel's flesh. Bearing his claws, he roared and tore at Hetzel's chest. The latter's scream caused many of the Duke's bodyguards to drop their weapons and bow down before Ranulf and Lyre, begging for mercy. Lyre smiled at Muarim with a new found respect as Muarim spat on Hetzel's dead body. As the wounded green tiger approached his friends, he spoke: "Brother, Sister, I ask that you let these wretches live to tell their Queen of the consequence of her actions. Hetzel is now dead, and the rest of the Senate will soon follow."

"Brother laguz, I grant your wish. You, filthy humans! Go! Go and tell the Apostle what you've seen. If you dare attack us now, I will personally rip your heads off. Go, and go quickly!" Lyre roared. Hetzel's bodyguards were forced by fear to comply, and ran for their dear lives to Sienne.

Ranulf stepped forward: "Are you alright, Muarim?"

"I'm fine. No, I'm more than fine. To tell the truth, I've never been happier. Oliver is dead for his crimes, and now, Hetzel is dead. Hetzel was also a major proponent of laguz slavery. I find it sad that Leakin and Sephiran were the only two Senators who were honorable enough to not participate, though Leakin still has a dislike of Laguz brought upon by some ill experiences with my raiders. We've been able to fix our relations with each other since then, but I can tell that he is still uncomfortable among us. Sephiran, well, he's always been friendly around Laguz and Beorc, so I believe that he is a fine ally. Other than those two, I will be even happier if all of the members of the Senate who supported laguz slavery and, Ashera forbid, practice it also pay for their crimes." Muarim replied.

"Muarim, you can rest assured that Ranulf and I will always be by your side. We will help you achieve your goal. I may have lived in Gallia all my life, and thus do not understand your pain, but rest assured that I will help you fight these filthy beorc. Perhaps some day, when all of the enslaved laguz are freed, Ranulf, Lethe, Mordecai, and I will escort you to Gallia. But before that day comes, we all have a job to finish. Let's go." Lyre nodded. Ranulf led the way as the three of them, along with a legion of Gallians behind them, charged deeper into the fort.

Soren blasted several opponents with a Blizzard Tome, while Lethe cut down several soldiers. The two of them, as Ike predicted, were quite an efficient team. Soren examined the enemy gate, and shouted at Zihark and Gatrie, who quickly stood by his side. Astrid and Makalov saw the small band and ran over to them. Soren was quickly able to rally the other soldiers in the area to regroup into formation.

"Ok, we need to find a way to break down that door. Since our foes are lacking watchmen thanks to our laguz comrades, we should be able to get in... Of course, that will take much strength to do so. Gatrie, are you ready for what I want you to do?"

"I'm on it!" Gatrie roared. He charged at the fort and rammed into it. Soren smacked his head with his palm.

"The rest of you warriors, what are you waiting for? Attack that gate with all your strength!" Soren sighed.

"Yes, sir!" They shouted. Soren's entire army, except for Soren and Lethe, rammed themselves into the gate. Lethe glanced at Soren: "Did Ike hire a myriad of idiots? Why do they act like this?"

"I've no idea... But, at least it shows that they are dedicated..."

"And stupid." Lethe added with contempt.

"And stupid." Soren repeated with shame.

Eventually, the gate creaked open, and Gatrie and the other warriors rushed into the fort, slashing through the lines of the shocked Begnion soldiers. Lethe glanced at all of them, and what surprised Soren was the look of pain on her face.

"What's wrong?"

"Can you look at such carnage and not feel uneasy?"

"Of course not, but I thought that you despised these beorc."

"I still do, but I think of what Jill once said to me: 'Lethe, do not be so hasty in cheering when these people are dying. They are enemies, true, and they are blinded by hate, but they are still people. Remember that there was a time when I was one of them, when Soren was one of them, and you must realize that each and every one of those people who are dying before you had the chance to become someone like me, or someone like Soren. Do not feel a sense of pride or joy when they are dying. Rather, you should embrace that sense of sympathy that all living things share.' I have taken her words to heart." Lethe replied.

Soren nodded and looked on. Their forces had broken through the fort, and soon met with Ranulf and the other Gallians. From the north, Tauroneo, Titania, Geoffrey, and many other Paladins also came running in, and from the South, from the place where foes should have arrived, Ike, Tanith, Stefan, and several other soldiers came running in. General Plutarch mysteriously used some Warp Powder and escaped.

"I wonder how he could have obtained such a substance. No matter, the Fort is ours." Soren muttered.

"Now, now I can finally avenge all my brothers and sisters who were killed by Zelgius's men." Lethe snarled. Lyre nodded and growled along.

After our heroes collected the gold found in the treasury of the Fort, and settled in their respective rooms for the night, Soren had a question that was eating away at him. Soren went to Zihark's room, and privately asked him: "Why did you join in with Gatrie and the others in their mad attempt to break down the gate?"

"You needed someone to help take down that door. Considering that we had no battering ram or something of the sort, I figured you meant that we should cut down the locks. Little did I know, before I could do such a thing, the others rammed against me and I went flying into the door. They continued pushing me into the door, and I couldn't escape. Trust me, there's nothing worse than being pinned before a hard, metal wall and a bunch of hot, armored, sweaty men." Zihark snapped back.

"Very well... Er, you will be given reparations for your grievances..." Soren stepped away, quite disturbed by this interview.

Meanwhile, furious with his defeat, Naesala gathered 2,000 ravens in Kilvas and decided to do the unthinkable.

As Tibarn and his fellow Hawks were sunning themselves, rejoicing at Gallia being purged of Begnion troops, the ravens suddenly attacked them. This cowardly raid on Phoenicis by Kilvas infuriated Tibarn. The King of Hawks quickly flew in the air and screeched. He ripped several Ravens apart when they tried to attack him, tearing them limb by limb. Naesala was able to take several Hawks down, but Tibarn soon approached and rammed into Naesala. The two Kings fought furiously in the skies over Phoenicis, but Naesala soon realized that he was no match for Tibarn. As the cowardly crow soon flew away for dear life, Tibarn took out several of the remaining Ravens. Soon, Naesala and 350 survivors of his original army of 2,000 flew back to Kilvas. Naesala himself went to Sanaki, apologizing for his defeat. Surprisingly, she personally healed him and told him not to worry. Soon, she claimed, with the medallion, she would force all of their enemies to bow before her knees.

Please read and review.


	49. Gathering Arms

Alright, people, the forking chapter in the story shall begin now. From here, the story will branch out into a "bad" or a "good" ending.

Chapter 48: Gathering Arms

Ike's army had enough of war for the day. The General agreed to allow his troops to rest for a week or so. Sanaki's army had so many casualties that it was impossible to gather enough reinforcements to make up for the losses in such a short time. There were 20,000 soldiers in Sienne, twice as many as the earlier epic battle. But Ike took note that there were 2,000 more troops, in the form of the Begnion Holy Guard. These elite guards of the Apostle were well trained in aerial combat. Many of them had Sonic Swords, which would prove to be deadly if Stalker, Ulki, or the other Hawks and Ravens of Ike's army were to attack them. These Sonic Swords were a threat even to Marcia and her Crimean Pegasus Knights. The Daein Wyvern Lords were also at a major disadvantage as well.

Thus, Ike was extremely worried about tactics. Taking Titania, Tauroneo, and Soren with him, Ike spent the rest of the day in a war meeting with his three strategists.

That night, Soren walked back to his tent. He was tired, and exhausted, but still insisted on making a quick review of his tomes.

This, of course, was the perfect time for Lethe to carry out her plan.

As Soren lit the candle in his tent, he saw Lethe standing in front of him.

Soren was a little shocked. Though it was almost a given that Lethe would wander into his tent at random times, he didn't expect her to come at such a late time at night. Soren immediately asked her: "Is there anything wrong, Lethe? Do you need anything?"

"No, Soren. I just want to keep you company."

"Thanks." Soren smiled. As he began to read Calill's Thoron tome for the third time, Lethe suddenly blurted out: "Soren."

"Yes?"

"What is it that you fear the most now?"

Soren looked at her for a second, actually pondering over the question: "You dying on me the day we attack Sienne."

Lethe had to admit, she was quite shocked at so quick an answer. She turned her head away from him as a faint blush began to show on her cheeks. Soren couldn't see her, but knew what was happening. He smiled, and asked: "Now what is yours?"

"Mine? Not being able to see you again even if we succeed in defeating Begnion."

"What do you mean?"

"In Gallia, the ancient law of purity among Laguz is a critical part of our culture. That is why Zihark and Relane had to part from each other. Ranulf and Lyre are... an item, so they have nothing to worry...

"But you and I, it seems that there is something stronger than merely friendship. Soren, I will hide it from you no more. I love you. I cannot bare leaving your side. Yet, my brethren in Gallia would never accept our marriage. Stefan is right. You and I will be mauled by them... Even so, even though I consider myself as a loyal and dedicated servant of Gallia, I could never leave you... Thus, I must make my choice..."

"Which is?"

Lethe suddenly lept forward and knocked Soren off his chair. The two tumbled onto the ground. Lethe was crouched on Soren's chest, and he could feel the warmth of her body pressing against his. It was so thrilling, in a way, and he felt a little... aroused...

"I choose you."

"Vortex." Soren muttered softly. The candle was quickly put out.

"Soren.."

"Lethe..."

"Oh, Soren... Don't leave me..."

"Lethe... I never will..."

"Soren!"

"Lethe..."

She hissed and purred, he moaned and laughed... They were finally one...

That night, Soren slept beside his love with a sly smile on his face.

The next morning, the sun rose and Ike was pacing back and forth in front of Soren's tent. "Strange, it's almost 9. Soren's typically up just after 6, before the sun rises. Why is it that he is not awake yet?" Ike thought to himself.

Lyre slowly walked towards him. "Ike, have you seen Lethe?"

"No, I haven't... That Soren... I need him today and he's not getting up!"

Lyre sniffed the air. A look of shock and joyful surprise suddenly lit up in her eyes. She stared intently at Ike. "I'd advise you not to enter Soren's tent."

"Wha-? Why?"

"Let's just say that this time, he'll kill you."

"Alright, Lyre. If you say so..." Ike replied as he walked away.

Lyre stood in front of Soren's tent, and smiled: "So sister, you have made your choice. Even if I have to die for treason, I will never turn my back on you. I will stand by you to the bitter end, even if I have to be torn apart for violating the laws of our beloved homeland."

Lyre, thinking that Lethe would want privacy, turned and scampered away.

There was no hiding the expressions of all the laguz's faces at lunch. Soren still hadn't shown up.

"Six hours, and he's still sleeping in!" Ike was complaining to Titania.

"Can you believe Lethe would make that choice?" Muarim whispered to Ranulf.

"I know, it's shocking indeed, but perhaps it has shown how Lethe has grown..."

"If Lethe and Soren succeed, then what of me and Zihark?" Relane muttered.

"Relane, if Lethe is accepted, I'm sure that you will be too..." Lyre purred.

"That is, if she is accepted..." Relane sighed and looked at the ground in sorrow.

"This is strange. I did not know that Lethe would so such a thing. Muarim, did you have any idea?" Mordecai asked him.

"To be honest, I didn't. Then again, Lethe and I are merely friends, and have been friends for only four years. Ranulf, you've known Lethe since childhood. Does this seem like her?"

"Considering how she chose Soren as a mate, I feel that this was bound to happen. Lethe is a very resolute and quite an obdurate individual. If she chose Soren as a mate, she would stick to him all the way... Which, obviously, would lead to this." Ranulf replied.

"Since Soren is a Branded, would the little ones be laguz, or branded?"

"I have no idea."

"Hmmn..." Muarim began to think.

Meanwhile, Lethe woke up with a start. She sat up in bed, still a little shocked with what had happened last night. "What have I done?" She whispered softly.

"Lethe?" Soren groggily murmured. He sat up too and looked at her.

Lethe's look of worry soon turned into a smile: "Soren..."

"Lethe, I heard you... You're not going to be Marching General much longer, are you?"

"Soren... You know, I've thought about this. If the Gallian army is so fixated on its traditions that it disregards all those years I served under it simply because the man I chose to father my children is a branded and not a laguz, then does that not show that I wasted so much of my time fighting under it? It would show how stupid I was for serving them so faithfully for so long. Now, I've made my decision, and I have no regrets. I chose you, Soren, and nothing will influence my decision. Nothing." Lethe replied.

"Lethe..."

"Well, Soren, I'll bet the others are very curious as to where we've been. I hope that Lyre and my other laguz brothers and sisters have not smelled us, but even if they have, so be it. I want them to know. Let's hurry and change. Lunch is most likely cold by now." Lethe spoke. She and Soren quickly got dressed and emerged from his tent.

The two lovers found all of Ike's veterans standing right at the entrance of Soren's tent. They all had smiles on their faces. "Oh, dear..." Soren muttered.

Stefan was the first to step forward. He glanced deeply into both Lethe and Soren's eyes. "All I can say is: I warned you. Everything else that happens from this point forward is no longer my concern."

For that, Ike drew his blade, about to close in on Stefan, but he was too late. Titania already twirled her spear and smacked Stefan on the side of the head with it, knocking the pessimist out cold.

"Lethe... I... I don't know what to say. I wonder what Jill would think of this..." Relane muttered.

"I'm sure she'd approve, just like me. Sister, you've finally made a choice that shows your personal growth. No matter what happens now, know this, I will die happy knowing that our family has become a much better one. Sister, I will stand by you and your mate to the bitter end... Even if it means my death." Lyre smiled.

"Thank you, sis." Lethe smiled back.

"Lethe, well, I guess there will be plenty of jealous guys back in Gallia... And there will be plenty of angry ones too, but I'm sure that you and Soren could handle them. It's about time we broke those foolish laws and traditions. Lethe, never give up Soren, no matter how painful the path may be. You two were made for each other, and you two better stick up for each other to the end! You can bet that I'll be there." Ranulf smiled.

"I might not know the laws of Gallia, but I do know the laws of Ashera. But, I do not support them. After all, in Ashera's name, I was enslaved. In Ashera's name, thousands have died. But, Ashera has made this day as a message... That it is time for a new beginning. I thought the bridge between beorc and laguz has already been established. I thought this was so much too soon. But now, with the two of you together, perhaps that bridge has been built, and since the two of you plan to stay together till death, this bridge is quite a sturdy one. Like Ranulf, you can bet that I'll willing be a pillar for your bridge, as long as it continues to connect our races together as one united people." Muarim laughed.

"Lethe, for the first time, I think you are truly being good. You used to hate the beorc and enjoy killing them. Now, now you are very friendly with them, and you actually have decided to marry a branded. You are both a strong warrior and a noble laguz. I will also be there for you, just like Ranulf, Muarim, and your sister." Mordecai nodded.

Janaff glanced at Ulki, who nodded to let him speak: "Well, Ulki and I agree on this one. We might not be of the same tribe, but we are all laguz. Because of that, we have every right to support you on this one. It's about time that we have a force that unites us all. Maybe love is that force. Maybe that's what will make us all united. As your brother hawks, you can count on us being there for you when the going gets tough."

"And don't forget my brother Ravens! Master Soren, you and I might not know each other very well, and I may barely know you, Lethe, but I know what both of you stand for. This dream is greater than us all... It would have fulfilled centuries of attempts by Crimea and Gallia to link our two worlds together. What kind of man would I be if I did not support such a goal? What kind of heartless monster would I be? I will not falter from your side. You need not worry, there will be ravens among the army that stands beside you when you face the mighty traditions of the powerful nation of Gallia." Stalker cawed.

"And remember, Muarim isn't the only laguz slave who stands by you. I will make sure that all us former laguz slaves also stand by you. Your toils will save us all, free and enslaved laguz, as well as beorc alike. All of Tellius will be united... This is a glorious aspiration that I cannot refuse to stand beside." Corrine added.

Tauroneo nodded, and spoke: "Remember that your laguz brothers and sisters aren't the only ones who stand by you. I will make sure that the entire nation of Daein will help you in your goal! Daein did many crimes in the past, but we too can help make the future a better place. You need not worry about a lack of beorc friends, oh Soren and Lethe!"

"And Crimea is also at your side, Soren and Lethe. I will make sure of it the best I can. You need not fret at all. You have Phoenicis, Daein, and Crimea beside you. What do you have to fear?" Geoffrey grinned.

"That's right. The sins of the past will not be repeated. Soren, Lethe, your love will be the force that will unite us all. For all the years I've known you, Soren, I honestly never thought that I would see this day. But now, now you are a champion of unity and love. Your stern exterior hides a noble heart. I, too, will stand by you." Titania reared her horse.

"Soren, I always said that you can count on me. This time is no different. You both are very close friends of mine, and I will not let either of you down. I'll also be there. I'm willing to fight if I have to if that will help this dream come true." Ike nodded.

All of Ike's veterans cheered along, and both Soren and Lethe felt quite pleased. Now, the challenge would be surviving the battle ahead. But, with so many dedicated friends, perhaps the war would not be so terrible...

Thus, Ike's army prepared itself for the march, but before they could even leave the fort, Tibarn appeared with many more Hawk reinforcements. "King Tibarn! It has been a long time since we last met." Ike greeted.

"Yes, it has, Ike. You must know that Kilvas recently conducted a raid on Phoenicis. I realize that you might not be able to hold off the combined might of Begnion and Kilvas, so I've come to help you on this last battle. Zelgius is extremely strong, and Plutarch is no weakling. I'm here to help you fight our common foes. We shall uphold our alliance till the end!" Tibarn cawed. Everyone cheered now that Tibarn had joined Ike's army.

But Tibarn wasn't alone, more laguz from Gallia appeared to reinforce Ike. Among them was Giffca! Lyre asked Giffca about Kysha, but Giffca replied that Kysha was needed to help rebuild the nation. However, Caineghis wanted to help the united army as best he could, so he sent Giffca with more Gallian reinforcements to help out in the fighting. With Giffca and Tibarn, along with more laguz comrades, Ike marched on to Sienne with a merrier heart than ever.

Warning: The Next Chapter is the Bad Ending, if you want to not read it, please skip two chapters ahead. (AKA Chapter 51)


	50. Ending 1: Blood Wake

Good things hardly happen to good people.

darkfire649 helped reinforce this theory in my mind.

Thus, I will show you what horrible things will happen to our beloved heroes.

And Rowan, if you are reading this far (which I doubt you are, considering that you seem to have given up after Chapter 6), your advice is superb and well appreciated. Unfortunately, it comes a little too late. However, rest assured that my newest Golden Sun and Fire Emblem fics will have followed your advice.

Ending 1 (Chapter 49): Blood Wake

Naesala and Sanaki stood at the top of the Guiding Tower of Sienne.

"Oh, Naesala... I feel so powerful now! I... I can rule this world! No one could possibly stop me."

"Sanaki, do not let that power destroy you!"

"You ask me to keep it from destroying me? Very well... Then take some... Take some and protect me, dearest Naesala!" Sanaki laughed.

Naesala was hit by a violet beam, and morphed. He was no longer a simple raven, but a glorious falcon with white wing tips, an extremely long beak, and talons sharp enough to cut through armor like a knife through butter.

"What is this power?"

"Is is the power that Ashnard sought, but could never find!"

Naesala looked at his glorious new body, and laughed as well. "Sanaki, thank you! Perhaps, perhaps now Kilvas will be great..."

"Yes, darling, and when we are one, Kilvas and Begnion will be one glorious nation..." Sanaki began to cackle madly and put her arms around Naesala.

"Ok, they have reinforcements coming from the south. They've heavily fortified the west. Considering that we'll be able to get our reinforcements easiest if we attack from the north, then I say we attack from the north. Let's move out!" Ike shouted.

The Crimean Royal Guards, Daein Regal Army, Elite Gallian Warriors, Grand Phoenician Sentinels, and Steadfast Kilvas Rebels marched and flew towards the Begnion capital of Sienne. As anticipated, a swarm of Begnion Holy Guards closed in on them from the sky. Hundreds of Hawks and many Ravens were killed as they took out an equal number of Begnion Holy Guards. The Crimean Pegasus Knight division of the Crimean Royal Guards did its best to help out, but even so, the Holy Guards were extremely powerful.

So powerful, in fact, that Janaff could not withstand their might.

Sixteen Holy Guards closed in on Janaff alone. Ulki was too far away dueling with other Holy Guards to save his friend, and Tibarn was taking on a hundred of them. These Holy Guards all activated their Sonic Swords. Janaff, weak against Wind magic, was pelted again and again by these magical weapons. Finally, he could no longer take any more beatings. "Ike, forgive me... Perhaps we'll meet again in the afterlife... Milord, Ulki, forgive my incompetence! Farewell!" Janaff plummeted to the earth.  
"JANAFF!" Our heroes screamed as they fired a hail of arrows into the swarm of Holy Guards. Though all of the arrows hit home, more kept on coming. "That's it, all Snipers and Archers, concentrate your fire on those Holy Guards. Astrid, you and your fellow archer Paladins will join them. Oscar, Boyd, even though you can both use bows, you and all of your fellow Paladins and Warriors like you will follow me. We have to attack the city itself. We can't afford to lose any more time. Noble Ravens, I ask that you assist Astrid in her counterattack. Stalker, Corrine, you two, however, will come with me. Everyone else, we're going to hit the city head on... FOR JANAFF!" Ike shouted.

The entire army rushed upon the glorious army of Begnion. There, Izuka shouted at Soren: "It's you and me, halfling! One on one! The loser is killed by his foe. Begin!"

As Soren and Izuka engaged in magical combat, Zelgius attacked our heroes. However, before Ike could hit Zelgius, Tibarn flew at him and slashed at his armor. Zelgius was knocked back by Tibarn's constant blows, but, Zelgius showed no sign of intensive pain. Rather, when Tibarn flew back to strike Zelgius once again, Zelgius grabbed a Laguz Lance and hurled it at Tibarn. The King of Phoenicis was hit, and morphed back into humanoid form, his pained body basically paralyzed, twitching helplessly on the ground. The other laguz, furious at Zelgius's victory, closed in on the General.

Relane pounced at him first, but Zelgius stabbed her in the heart with his Killer Lance. "Relane!" Zihark screamed. Relane died smiling at the man she loved.

Lethe and Lyre pounced on Zelgius from two sides, but Zelgius quickly lanced Lyre and slashed at Lethe. When Lyre went down, Lethe went into a frenzy and clawed at Zelgius. Amazingly, she caused more pain to her foe than Tibarn could, but Zelgius still lanced her too... However, Lethe was not dead, only badly injured. Lyre was already slain.

Muarim, Ranulf, and Mordecai closed in on Zelgius, but before Mordecai could get to the general, Zelgius swung the Killer Lance and stabbed him. With Mordecai impaled on Zelgius's spear, Muarim and Ranulf were quite stunned. Zelgius pulled his spear out of the blue tiger, and Mordecai died.

Ranulf lept forward and tried to rip Zelgius's neck with his jaws, but Zelgius smacked Ranulf in the face with his spear. As Ranulf tried to recover, Zelgius went in for the kill... But Muarim attacked Zelgius from behind and dug his claws into Zelgius's armor.

Zelgius winced, but still stabbed his spear into Ranulf, killing the cat. Muarim continued trying to crush Zelgius's skull with his jaws, but Zelgius used his own arms to grap Muarim's neck and choke the tiger as Muarim was bitting down on Zelgius's head. Finally, Muarim, gasping for air, was forced to let go, and Zelgius threw Muarim onto the ground. Before Muarim could flee, Zelgius shoved the Killer Lance down Muarim's throat, and, soon, the green tiger stopped moving.

Geoffrey ran forward with his bow. He fired several shots into Zelgius's chest. Zelgius put his hand in front of him and was actually able to brush the arrows aside. Geoffrey's eyes widened, but he grabbed his spear and closed in on Zelgius. Zelgius readied his own Killer Lance as Geoffrey approached. When Geoffrey went for Zelgius's leg, the enemy General stabbed Geoffrey straight in the chest.

Geoffrey coughed blood, and moaned: "Sweet Crimea! I failed to honor thee..." He died stuck on Zelgius's spear.

Bastian and Amy attacked Zelgius from two different sides, but Zelgius grabbed a Short Spear and threw it at Amy. The spear pierced Amy's bladder, and the Sniper died screaming in pain.

Bastian's Elwind spell hit Zelgius, but did barely any damage. Zelgius laughed and walked towards Bastian. The older Sage continued to pelt Zelgius with spells, all of which having hardly any effect. Zelgius finally stepped back and lowered his spear, and Bastian grabbed a stiletto and ran forward. Bastian stabbed Zelgius, but Zelgius grabbed Bastian's arm and cracked it. As Bastian collapsed, Zelgius stabbed his spear through the Sage's belly.

Rolf twirled an arrow and started firing, but Zelgius turned and threw his Killer Lance at him. Rolf was stabbed straight through the neck. Everyone could only stare in fear and Zelgius calmly retrieved his spear from the boy's bloody corpse.

Kris roared: "You might've beaten Amy, but I'm gonna cleave that head off of ya'!" As Kris charged, Largo readied his own axe and joined him. Calill attacked Zelgius from afar with her Meteor tome.

By this time, Zelgius was actually bleeding, and was actually wincing from the pain ,so Titania rode at him and tried to crush his skull with her Hammer. But, Zelgius countered with his Killer Lance. As Titania smashed Zelgius's head with her hammer, and actually put a huge dent on his helmet, Zelgius simply shouted and stabbed her with his Killer Lance. Titania pulled the lance out and threw it aside. She charged and hit him in the face with the Hammer. Zelgius's jaw was badly hurt and bleeding, but Zelgius merely smirked, pulled out the Gurgurant, stepped forward, and slashed off Titania's head... Right in front of Tauroneo...

Ike stared as Titania fell... None of the allies could believe it... Titania... Was dead... The symbol of the mercenaries was dead... If Ike was their leader, Titania was their symbol, the living source of their dignity and pride. With her dead, Oscar and Boyd found their strength suddenly sapped, and both were slain. Boyd was cut down by three enemy swordmasters where he stood, and Oscar was killed by an arrow straight through the throat. Though Soren fried Izuka a moment later with his Elthunder tome, that slight victory meant nothing in the face of such horrible defeats.

Ike and Tanith raised Ragnell and Alondite and closed in on Zelgius, but Tauroneo screamed at them: "Both of you! Don't! She died, and I must avenge her! You two must go, and go quickly! The Apostle and Naesala are in that tower! Go in there, and stop this madness once and for all!" Tauroneo shouted. As Ike and Tanith rushed towards the tower, they saw Leakin try to cover them with his Purge tome, but he was soon cut down by an enemy Paladin. However, they had no time to avenge their newest fallen friend. They had to hurry and kill the Apostle, so that no more people had to die here!

Ike and Tanith entered the room with the Apostle and Naesala. "Beloved Naesala, protect me!" Sanaki yelled.

"Yes, yes, my darling. I will defend you." Naesala laughed as he swooped down at Ike.

Tanith lept forward and activated Astra. The skill slashed at Naesala five times. Ike took the opportunity to strike the crow with Ragnell.

Naesala winced and flew back: "So, you cowards want to play treacherously, eh? Then I shall!" Naesala flew towards Tanith and casted Vortex on her. The wind spell made her fly back, and before she could retalitate, he swooped forward and slashed at her with his talons.

When Naesala flew back into the air, Ike jumped up and tried to strike, but Naesala merely flew higher, and taunted him with another Vortex. Ike got mad, and shouted: "Aether!" The skill actually activated twice, so Naesala was hit four times by Ragnell. As Naesala was reeling, Tanith shouted: "Astra!"

Naesala was hit five more times, and, before he could attack again, Ike took advantage of the situation by running forward and attacking again with Ragnell. Naesala seemed to lack the ability to recover quickly after each attack, so Ike and Tanith took turns whacking him, so four Astras and three Aethers later, Naesala finally went down.

"What? It can't be! Naesala is dead?!" Sanaki gasped.

"Yes, we have killed the tyrant, and he is gone." Ike sneered at her.

"Then let me show you the extent of my power!" Sanaki screamed. "DIVINE WRATH!"

Light magic began to pierce through Tanith's body. She found herself paralyzed, and unable to do anything. "Tanith!" Ike shouted, rushing to save her, but a glowing shield formed itself between Ike and Tanith, making him unable to reach her.

The light continued to pierce through her body. He saw her gurgling, and bubbles of blood appeared at her mouth. "What kind of power is this?" He thought with fear and hate. Finally, Tanith spat out blood as her torso ruptured.

"NO!"

Ike ran forward the moment the shield disappeared. He gently picked up Tanith in his arms.

"Don't... Don't leave me!"

"Ike... Stay Strong... And True... Be..." Before she could continue, her eyes rolled back, and she died there in his arms...

"You... YOU!" Ike raised Ragnell and stepped towards Sanaki. "YOU TOOK HER FROM ME!"

"And you took him from me." Sanaki sneered, pointing at Naesala. "I loved him like you loved her. Now, now we widowers must fight. I must kill you, so I can give him the vengeance he deserves."

"No, it is you who must die. LIAR! FILTHY WRETCH! TRAITOR TO TELLIUS!" Ike roared as he charged forward.

"Divine Wrath." Sanaki muttered. Now, Ike felt firsthand what the pain of the spell was...

Unfortunately, he lived through it, but was paralyzed. He could only stare at her helplessly as he held Ragnell weakly in his hands.

"MEGGIDO!" Sanaki laughed. A huge meteor came crashing into the room.

"Father... Mother... Zolath?.. Tanith?... Tanith... I see you... I will be beside all of you in Ashera's blessed lands of the afterlife... Wait for me..." Ike smiled as he saw them smiling and waving at him. He closed his eyes a second before the meteor vaporized his body. The entire room was covered in a whirl of brown dust, and, for a minute, Sanaki was blinded by it.

When the dust cleared, all that remained was a huge charred spot on the floor, with Ragnell lying neatly in the center of it. Sanaki smiled, and raised her hands. "Now, Dark God, give me the power to purify Tellius!"

At the same moment, Tauroneo and Zelgius were still dueling. "Old man... It seems that you will die here against me."

"On the contrary, did you ever care to stop talking?" Tauroneo asked as he suddenly charged forward and plunged his spear into Zelgius's armor.

"What?! How?..."

"Stupid boy. Never doubt the power of an elder. You took her from me, and with her my only chance at happiness after the war. Now, I take your life... Goodbye." Tauroneo sneered as he pulled out his spear. Zelgius died with a shocked expression locked on his face.

Tauroneo panted, and collapsed on the floor.

"Ike has not appeared for some time, and... Oh, no..." Soren spoke as he looked at the tower.

"What has happened, Soren?" Lethe asked him. Soren had healed her earlier with his Mend staff.

"... Everyone... Ike and Tanith are dead."

"What?" Tauroneo gasped. The other surviving veterans also stared at Soren.

"See those violet lightening bolts slowly climbing to the top of the tower? If Sanaki were slain, those bolts would disappear, because they are created when she focuses on her absorption of the Medallion's energy. But, as you can see, they are even more vigorously climbing up the tower than ever before... The two of them are dead and with them Tellius's last hope."

"What happens when those bolts touch the top?" Mist asked, her face covered in tears.

"You know what will happen: We All Die."

"What?" Kieran mumbled. "It can't be! All our toils, in vain? Cakil is dead, and Geoffrey too. More than two thirds of the veterans who fought in the great war are dead... And you tell me that they all died in vain."

"Yes... Everyone, enjoy your final moments. I am honored to at least die with all of you beside me. We did our best, but sometimes our best is not enough. May Tellius forgive us... Farewell, my brothers. Farewell, my sisters. May Ashera grant us access to the blessed lands of the afterlife." Soren wept.

Everyone cried with him. Lethe buried her head into his shoulder. They all stared in fear as the bolts slowly reached the top of the tower.

The moment they did, a huge wave of violet energy emerged from the tower. All of our heroes were immediately vaporized. Every warrior with a weapon who was not part of Begnion's army was vaporized... Every laguz: man, woman, and child not residing in Kilvas was vaporized...

Throughout Tellius, every household was forced to worship Sanaki. The few men who survived the fatal wave were forced to bow down before their goddess. Men, women, and children were forced to go through elaborate, painful rituals to please her and the dark god who now resided within her. Sanaki was the new Goddess of Tellius... The Goddess of Night. No one dared question her authority. Not only was she the Empress of Begnion, she was Empress of Daein, Empress of Crimea, Master of Gallia, and Master of Phoenicis. She was Empress of Toldor too. The proud beast tribe laguz were all dead. The once glorious Hawks of Phoenicis were all dead. All of Stalker's raven comrades were vaporized. None who defied Sanaki's will survived.

Sanaki was the Goddess of Night, Sanaki was the most powerful being in all of Tellius, and, in only one month, no one remembered the days when she was mortal. The heroes who once saved Crimea and Daein were immediately forgotten, but Sanaki, the Goddess of Night, could never be.

And the streets of every city in Tellius were always filled with blood...

_Fin_

Moral: (This can be used in War, and, perhaps in business) When your opponent/rival fully anticipates what you will most likely do next, and you know that they know this information, then DON'T DO IT! It's that simple.

Other than that, the Folly of Man is our eagerness to go to war, to do all these things that take so many of our lives, and not finding any way to stop the carnage. Instead, when lives are lost, we continue our mindless killings. Also, another aspect of our Folly is that we are greedy. There are people who want something that would cause the complete destruction of their own lives or of other's lives. But they don't care, and we as human beings fail to find ways to stop this kind of mindset, or, at least, lessen it. We've made progress in lessening so many other vices, but we fail to get rid of these. That is our Folly.


	51. Oblivion

Yes, I know that I techically ended this story with the "bad ending," but I didn't write that ending too well, did I?

It's late, I'm tired, but I'm still going to post this continuation (lead-up) to the "good ending."

Kyarah, Kysha, and any other characters I mentioned in my profile will appear in the Epilogue/Good Ending.

And Rowan, if you are reading this far (which I doubt you are, considering that you seem to have given up after Chapter 6), your advice is superb and well appreciated. Unfortunately, it comes a little too late. However, rest assured that my newest Golden Sun and Fire Emblem fics will have followed your advice.

Chapter 49: Oblivion

Ike's army encamped itself slightly north of Sienne.

"Alright, everyone. The Begnion army is fully aware that we will attack it from the North. Thus, they've put up a huge number of troops to defend that flank. They also have anticipated a laguz attack from the west, so they've set up plenty of defenses there. From the South, they have Kilvas ravens coming in as reinforcements to help them. But, from the East, they will have no reinforcements. Why? Because they cannot afford to take the troops guarding Nulox Bridge away to some other area. They can't afford a sudden onslaught by the army of Toldor. Thus, they won't send any reinforcements from there. At the same time, that position is much weaker than either the north or the western positions. We should mount our attack from there. That would let us break into the city quicker, and perhaps end this battle with either less casualties or more swiftly. We can do this, everyone! Just trust me as you always have... We can win this war! We can avenge our comrades! We shall prevail!" Soren shouted. Everyone cheered at Soren's speech, especially the weaker comrades, who were uncertain whether they had many threats or not from the enemy lines.

So, the united army slipped towards the Begnion defenses at the Eastern border of Sienne. Upon arrival, a small band of calvary units engaged them. "It can't be!" Zelgius gasped as he saw them coming. "They found our weak spot... I thought Ike would be reckless enough to attack us from the North. I was wrong..." Zelgius muttered.

At that moment, Plutarch warped in beside him.

"Ah, brother. Could you do me a favor, and watch over my position?"

"What? Why?"

"Let's just say that I will hit them with a surprise attack from their rear."

"Excellent, brother! Very well, but I will need as many troops as you can spare."

"Done. Take all of the soldiers stationed here. I'll be heading off." Zelgius nodded as he ran off.

Plutarch turned to his soldiers: "Those fools think they can finish the Begnion army. They can't! We will crush them right here. The Apostle is now a God with the power of her Medallion. They have no idea what traps we have for them." Plutarch smirked.

The united army entered the city with a bang as Tormod and several Sages blasted the hidden enemy troops with Meteor and Bolting. Several Feral Ones emerged from the streets to engage our heroes as they split up and attacked separate street corners. DRA Wyvern Riders and several Crimean Pegasus Knights flew into the air, supported by Phoenician Hawks and Stalker's Ravens. These fliers soon engaged the Begnion Holy Guard fliers that came from the North.

Ulki and Janaff, following Soren's orders, flew close together. Ulki, with his amazing ears, could judge how quickly the blasts from the Sonic Swords equipped on almost every Holy Guard were coming, so he could warn Janaff, and both could evade their attacks. Janaff could easily spot every error in their formation, and could exploit it with an attack, so the two of them made a deadly pair. The screams of the Holy Guard greatly demoralized the defending Begnion troops.

Soon, Izuka and Plutarch appeared. Soren ran forward: "Izuka! You've tortured so many laguz for too long! Today, this madness will all be over. I will make sure that you can never make Feral Ones again!"

Izuka laughed: "Who gave you the right to judge me? Here, we shall duel each other to the death. Your comrades can watch you die."

"Elthunder!" Soren shouted. Izuka, for a moment, was caught in a hail of thunderbolts, but he smiled and quickly shrugged it off.

"Char!" Izuka shouted. A ring of fire formed itself around Soren, making it impossible for the Sage to dodge what was coming next. Twelve fireballs appeared around Izuka, flew high into the air, and came crashing down on Soren. The fire ring promptly disappeared, and smoke covered Izuka's vision.

When the smoke finally cleared, Izuka saw that Soren was still standing in front of him.

"Elthunder!" Soren shouted.

But no spell appeared.

"What?!" Soren looked down. The Elthunder tome was completely burnt.

"Char is the spell of those Fire Sages who reach Omega Class. It has a chance of destroying the tome currently equipped to an opposing Sage, or, it can melt the weapon the attacked warrior is currently carrying. So, your Elthunder tome was burnt beyond use by my spell. Isn't that nice?" Izuka sneered.

Soren smirked: "You forget that I have an Omega Class in Wind. This is going to hurt. Tornado!"

The tempest snagged Izuka and threw him high into the air. "How perfect! Meteor!" Izuka shouted as he was thrown. The meteors went down and pelted Soren, hurting him more than usual.

"I'll need to find a thunder tome somehow. Wait a minute!" Soren smiled as he saw an enemy Sage approach with a Thoron tome.

"It's risky, but I'll do it. Tornado!" Soren shouted.

The enemy sage was thrown back, and the tome fell into Soren's hands.

Soren readied the tome, and thought: "I hope that all that time spent studying Calill's tome payed off..."

"Thoron!" Soren shouted. The ring of thunder surrounded Izuka, and the lightening bolts fried him.

"What? How is this possible? I thought you were B class in Thunder!"

"You should have checked your records more thoroughly, oh genius Izuka!"

"But I am Omega Class, you cannot..."

"Vortex!"

Soren's spell whacked Izuka immediately.

"Thoron!"

The second spell also struck Izuka.

Adept activated, and Soren attacked a third time.

"What... Happened?"

Soren smiled: "Vortex is the fastest spell in existence. When activated, it makes sure I go first when I'm attacked. As a bonus, if it was used as the first spell during an attack, it can give me a chance to cast another spell. As you know, I have Adept, so I have a chance of casting a third attack."

"How smart of you... But I'm still alive... Char!" Izuka shouted.

The spell hit Soren again, but this time, Thoron was undamaged.

"Eh?"

"Don't rely on luck, Izuka. Too often you don't get what you wanted." Soren laughed.

"No!"

Soren moved his hands before his eyes, and shouted: "Thoron!"

The spell struck Izuka one last time, and the pompous Sage was burned to death.

As Izuka went down, General Plutarch stepped forward. "Congratulations! You killed our most powerful Sage. Now, you can fight our most powerful Generals. Myself, and..."

Plutarch stepped aside, and three more Generals appeared.

"Manny, Moe, and Jack." Plutarch announced their names with pride.

Three Generals appeared, and readied their weapons.

Manny carried a huge Claymore.

Moe readied a sharp Pike.

Jack heaved a shining Battle Axe.

Muarim looked at Manny, and growled. "You remind of my master, who used big swords... I will fight him!" Muarim glanced at the others.

"Since Zelgius is not here, I will kill his brother." Lethe snarled.  
Giffca spoke to Jack: "Axes are a symbol of those who would butcher the forest. You will die by my claws!"

Tauroneo looked at Moe. "The Wishblade I am carrying was once called the 'King of Spears.' Let us see if you are skilled enough to face it."

Manny charged forward at Muarim with his Claymore. As he swung his sword down, Muarim jumped back and the sword clanked against the ground. As Manny tried to lift the sword, Muarim smiled and rammed into him. Manny was knocked onto the ground, and Muarim bared his claws and slashed at Manny's face. Manny's scream echoed throughout the battlefield.

"Talk about a 'most powerful General.'" Ranulf snickered.

Giffca lept behind Jack and smacked into him from behind. Jack twirled his Axe and cleaved it into Giffca's flesh.

Giffca winced slightly, but looked intently at Jack: "Is that truly the caliber of one of Begnion's 'most powerful Generals?' You are lucky that our King is not here, for you are no match for him." Giffca smirked.

The Black Lion roared and pounced. Jack was ripped apart by the attack, and the surviving Begnion soldiers were speechless.

Moe twirled his spear over his head, and Tauroneo simply smiled. Moe shouted aloud and charged at Tauroneo. The older General stepped to the right, grabbed Moe's spear, and pulled it to the left. Moe was thrown forward and tripped. He fell flat on his face.

Tauroneo laughed: "What kind of idiot are you? Does the Begnion Empire truly believe that you are one of its most powerful generals? Hah, no wonder why we've beaten your army all the way here. You are hopeless. Flee now, or you will regret it."

"I am Moe of the Begnion Empire! You, old man, will die. You must be some pathetic old general, because your face does not look familiar in our list of notable enemy warriors."

"I suppose that's because your Empire expects all warriors to recognize me."

"What are you talking about?"

"I am Tauroneo of Daein's Four Steadfast Riders!"

"Tauroneo? Couldn't be... He was slain by the Daein Revolution Army at Nevassa!"

"Hah! Is that what they have told you? What fools! That information must have been given to them by Izuka. I was with the Daein Liberation Front. We escaped to Fort Vigilance in the northernmost province of Daein, and... Why am I telling you this? Come and face me, fool!"  
"A Steadfast Rider... How could I not have seen it? I've only heard legends of them... No matter, as a mighty General of Begnion, I shall not lose!" Moe readied his spear.

As Moe went in for a stab, Tauroneo held onto the spear, and yanked it out of Moe's hands. "Um... Er..." Moe smiled embarrassingly. Moe pulled out a sword and rushed at Tauroneo. 

"Warriors like you make war look like a child's game." Tauroneo sighed. He calmly thrust his spear forward, and Moe ran into it. With a gasp, Moe groaned: "I should've stayed in bed this morning..." Tauroneo pulled his spear out, and Moe died.

Plutarch looked at the scene in shock. His three subordinates were all dead. "These men killed hordes of enemy troops, and now they're dead? My, my... I made quite an error." Plutarch muttered.

"Now you must face me, you pathetic excuse for a beorc! I will make this short and sweet. If only you were your brother, then I could have avenged my brethren. No matter, your death will be enjoyable as well!" Lethe snarled again as she pounced.

Plutarch was hit straight in the face by Lethe's initial strike. Plutarch drew a sword and tried to stab her, but Lethe lept aside and hit him again. However, when Lethe pounced a third time, Plutarch drew a Laguzslayer and slashed at her face. She howled in pain and drew back. At this time, Lyre pounced on Plutarch from the back, but Plutarch used the Laguzslayer to stab her too. As both sisters were drawing back from the Laguzslayer, Tibarn flew from the air and attacked. "Begnion fool, this is for the Herons of Serenes! Clearly, you never were penitent for your crimes, so today, you shall pay!" Tibarn cawed as he slashed at Plutarch from the back. Plutarch couldn't reach Tibarn with his Laguzslayer, so he cursed aloud.

"Cowards! Come and face me for once!"

"Hmn, why should I fear that sword of yours? After all, you can't hit me if I come at you as swiftly as I can. Very well, prepare yourself, filthy fool!" Lethe roared as she lept from side to side and rammed into Plutarch.

Plutarch was knocked back, and his heavy armor made him fall over.

Lethe pounced onto Plutarch, drew her claws, and, just like what Muarim did to Manny, ripped him apart. Plutarch could only cry for help, but no one could come aid him.

After Plutarch was slain, the Begnion army was completely disorderly. This is where Leakin stepped in. The Duke shouted aloud: "Soldiers of Begnion! The Apostle is our true enemy. You are not. You are all young men and women who either volunteered to fight a foe who you believed were planning to kill you all, or you were forcefully drafted by General Zelgius and his tyrannical cronies. But, now, you are free. And with this freedom, you can make a choice. Either fight us and die here, or surrender and go back to your homes and families. You have a chance to rebuild this nation, and rebuild your lives. This war has taken everything from our nation, but we can recover. After all, we are citizens of Begnion! We are people of the great nation that has lasted for centuries! We are the citizens of the nation who honored Ashera for so many generations. Must we forfeit that honor now? Must we discard that pride now? No! Now is the time for us to rebuild ourselves. We should stop this mad war as soon as possible, and rebuild. Lay down your arms, my brothers and sisters. Surrender, live, and rebuild Begnion!"

The Begnion troops, realizing the logic of these words, put down their arms. Over half of them immediately surrendered to Ike's army. Leakin and Tanith insisted that they be aloud to return home, without being forced to fight. The remaining troops, however, readied their swords. Tanith and Leakin, both shedding tears, ordered their troops to take them out. With that, the Begnion Imperial troops within Sienne were all finished.

Ike and Tanith approached the Guiding Tower. "It looks like the two of us will have to go ahead. Uncle, I leave the rest to you. I think you, Leakin, and Sephiran ought to decide what to do with our remaining forces here. Tanith and I will take down the Apostle and finish this. Wish us luck!" Ike spoke. He and Tanith entered the Tower.

Within the Tower, there were no soldiers, so they very quickly reached the top.

At the top, they found Naesala and Sanaki.

Naesala greeted them by swooping down and attempting to kill Tanith, but the former Holy Guard was fully ready for him. She dodged his attack and drew the Sonic Sword. Naesala, seeing the sword, tried to get away, but Tanith wielded its deadly magic and Naesala was caught in its blasts. Naesala desperately tried to defend himself, but neither Ike nor Tanith would let him. When Naesala would try to attack Tanith, Ike would leap in front of her and counter, and Tanith would attack Naesala from a distance with her Sonic Sword. Naesala cast Vortex several times, and it did buy him some time, but in the end, his attempts to defend himself were futile. The combined power of Ike and Tanith were too much for him, and he was taken down.

Sanaki smiled cynically: "So, you killed him. But you won't be able to get rid of me. Divine Wrath!"

Light magic began to pierce through Tanith's body. She found herself paralyzed, and unable to do anything. "Tanith!" Ike shouted, rushing to save her, but a glowing shield formed itself between Ike and Tanith, making him unable to reach her.

Ike raised Ragnell. "You won't be able to hurt her much longer! Hyaah!" Ike shouted as he ran forward and slashed at Sanaki. With Sanaki under attack, she was unable to focus enough energy to continue the spell, and Tanith was freed.

When Sanaki tried again by casting 'Divine Wrath' on Ike, Tanith attacked and broke the spell. Sanaki smiled: "So, instead of getting afraid and staring in fear, you attack me and break the spell. How reckless. Now, I will finish you both: Meggido!"

As a giant Meteor headed straight for the tower, Tanith spoke to Ike: "We won't be able to stop this one, but... If we focus our attacks on her, we might be able to take her down before the spell hits."

"Then what are we waiting for? Ki-yah!" Ike swung Ragnell and struck Sanaki. Tanith readied Alondite and activated Astra! The five hits dealt major damage to Sanaki, and, amazingly, Aether was able to activate, allowing Ike to deal massive damage to Sanaki as well.

"If only I could attack while casting Meggido... No matter! I doubt you could kill me before it hits." Sanaki laughed.

"Don't be so sure..." Tanith readied Alondite once again. "Apostle, there was a time when I would have protected you with my life, but you have betrayed Begnion and all of Tellius. With that, I, as your loyal servant, must free you from this mad state. This mad woman is not you, Apostle. You were a kind, just, and wise ruler. Now, you are an insane fool who wants pure power. I must save you from yourself. Goodbye." She swung Alondite and Astra activated once again. The Apostle gasped as she was hit five times, each being a critical.

The Meggido spell disappeared, and Sanaki began to smile. The medallion fell out of her hands.

"Tanith... Thank you... Now, I leave the future of Begnion... In your hands... You must find... A just... And good... Ruler for our nation... Make sure... That..." Before she could finish her sentence, the Apostle Sanaki collapsed onto the floor.

Tanith ran forward, but soon found out that the Apostle was dead.

Carrying the Apostle's dead body in her arms, Tanith and Ike emerged from the Tower. Our heroes began to cheer, but Leakin and Tauroneo asked them to be silent. The Apostle was one of the most revered people in Begnion. To show joy at her death would insult all the citizens of Begnion present. Neither leader wanted Ike's army to look like the true enemies to Begnion.

With the death of the Apostle, Sephiran stepped forward and spoke: "I invite her majesty Elincia and the Minister Nealuchi of Kilvas to witness the restoration of Begnion's government. King Tibarn, Duke Leakin, both of you are invited, of course. Ike, Tanith, Soren, Lethe, I want you four to also be there. General Cakil, please inform the King and Queen of Daein that both are cordially invited. We shall rebuild our nation."

With that, preparations were made for all the rulers to come. They all arrived quite readily, and Geoffrey greeted the Queen Elincia. "Milady, your beauty far outshines that of any other woman in Tellius." Elincia smiled at Geoffrey and nodded, but walked away towards Ike.

"My lord Ike, I do hope that you are well."

"Um, yes, Elincia. We won the war. Now, we can finally rebuild Daein and Begnion."

"My lord Ike, I feel so blessed that you and I can finally be together..."

"Um, excuse me, milady." Tanith suddenly spoke.

"Yes?"

"I'm afraid that General Ike is currently engaged."

"Oh?" Elincia suddenly had a very sad look on her face. "To whom?... Who is the lucky girl?"

"To ME."

"What?! But he is already engaged to me."

"Wha-?"

"Sorry, milady, but you got it all wrong. I came to you because you hired me to serve as your escort. You needed me to stick around to help rebuild Crimea, and I did, for some time. But there never was any consensual romance between us. I am sorry, milady, but by no means was I suggesting that I loved you in any way shape or form when I stayed to help you. You are a good person, and you were our employer, that is why I stayed. It was not because I was planning any romance with you." Ike spoke.

"How... How could this?..."

Geoffrey immediately took his cue: "Ike! How dare you hurt milady in this manner! You are lucky that you are still breathing! Come, milady, let me cheer you up." Geoffrey spoke softly as he led Elincia out of the room.

"Sorry for the big mess I made."

"It was nothing... Heck, you helped get her out of the way. Now..."

"Yes?"

"The war is finally over. Now, we can finally move on. Tanith, I don't care that all these people are here, but, will you consent to giving up your rank as General, and spending your life with me as a mere mercenary, doing tasks that your former subordinates in the Holy Guard would laugh at?" Ike asked.

"General, I do. I will marry you. There's no need for you to try to beat around the bush."

Ike was speechless, and the rest of our heroes applauded the couple.

Meanwhile, Geoffrey comforted Elincia. "Elincia, my Queen, there are more men out there than the noble General Ike. You have many men who will fight to the death on your behalf."

"Like you, Geoffrey?"

"Yes, I will never leave your side."

"Oh, Geoffrey! I need a warrior who will always be there for me. Now that Daein and Begnion are just starting to recover, and Crimea has not been fully restored, I fear that Bandits will emerge from hiding and cause mischief once again. I need someone who will be strong and protect my castle, my people, and..."

"And yourself, good Queen? You need not fear any longer. I, General Geoffrey of Crimea, will do whatever you would have me do."

Elincia began to weep, and buried her head in Geoffrey's chest. "Thank you, Geoffrey, for standing by me for so many years. I am... So blessed..." She cried.

Geoffrey could only smile and look back at Ike and Tanith. "Thank you, Ike and Tanith... Had it not been for you two, I would not be having this moment." Geoffrey thought.

And so, after Haar and Jill arrived, our heroes were quite merry and willing to see what Sephiran was up to. Ike, Tanith, Elincia, Geoffrey, Haar, Jill, Tibarn, Stalker, Nealuchi, Leakin, Soren, and Lethe were all gathered in the Imperial throne room. The rest of our heroes were waiting outside. Suddenly, a large number of soldiers, all equipped with the finest of Killer and Silver weapons, appeared from all the doors in the room. There were enough troops to cover the walls, and our heroes were surrounded.

"Wait... Prime Minister, what is going on here?" Leakin was the first to speak.

Sephiran laughed: "You don't get it, do you? You have all fallen right into my hands!"

"What do you mean?" Ike spoke, raising Ragnell.

"Now that I shall be crowned Emperor, your pathetic attempts to stop me will be pointless. I ought to kill you right now to avoid any trouble."

"You traitor! You!" Tibarn morphed into Hawk form, but before he could attack, a large number of paladins rode in front of Sephiran, making an immediate attack on the traitor impossible.

"You see, it was I who tricked the Apostle into believing that her acquisition of the Medallion would give her limitless power! I'm the one who thought it up, not her. She originally had no intention of gaining power. But I was able to change her. It was I who advised her to invade Daein and ensure that no dissidents could survive. It's a pity that the Daein Liberation Front was able to retake that province. Heck, Ike, I'm the one who ordered Greil slain, as it would allow for the medallion to lose its most stalwart defender. Many of Duke Tanas's actions were orders from me. Many of Zelgius's actions were orders from me. Don't you understand? This world is a terrible place that needs some great power to force it to stay in line. I assumed that the Apostle, with the power of the Medallion, would be able to control this world. But I was wrong. Instead, it seems that she was unworthy of such a responsibility. But I am powerful enough to make this world better, and I shall. Behold! Even without the Medallion, I will kill you all and end this once and for all. Guards! Kill them all! Do not let a single person escape!" Sephiran shouted.

Sephiran's many guards engaged Ike and his small and of comrades. However, the twelve of them were able to fight them off. More and more of the Prime Minister's guards were slain, and after a while, even Sephiran began to feel worried. "I left more troops to take out their comrades, but what if they survived too? I did not anticipate that Ike and his friends would be this strong. No matter, I'll finish Ike the moment he comes. Tibarn will be a challenge, but even he is mortal." Sephiran thought as he readied his tomes.

The carnage was quite intense, and when it was over, a single guard ran into the room: "My lord... We have extreme casualties and... Looks like everyone's been killed here, too... We highly underestimated this battle." At that moment, Oscar rode into the room.

"You wretched beasts! Die!" The guard attacked the Paladin, but missed. Oscar quickly lanced him and rode forward: "Ike, the others are coming. We won't let Sephiran get away with this!" True to Oscar's words, the rest of Ike's veterans appeared.

"So now, we are at its end. Come and face me, oh brave warriors." Sephiran laughed.  
Ranulf lept forward, but was greeted by an Elfire spell. Giffca closed in on Sephiran from his left, but Sephiran cast Bolgagon. However, Giffca was not to be taken down easily. He was able to resist the powerful Fire tomes and attack Sephiran. Sephiran laughed and cast Luster, the Omega class Light spell. This spell allowed Sephiran to increase his abilities, making him much more resistant to damage, stronger, luckier, and faster. It also allowed Sephiran to convert half of the damage Giffca took to hit points in order to increase Sephiran's own HP.

As Giffca tried to counter attack, Sephiran cast Thoron. Giffca, fried by the thunderbolts, decided to retreat.

Sephiran took the opportunity to cast Meteor and Thoron on all units in range. Basically, that meant everyone in the room. Tauroneo, Gatrie, and Sothe immediately went down, as they were all injured. Ike and his fellow swordsmen also took much damage. Kris, Largo, Boyd, and their fellow axe wielders did not fare well against Sephiran's blasts either.

Each of the laguz were wounded, but all of them tried to reach Sephiran. However, the powerful Sage quickly cast fire and wind spells to take them down. Nasir, the powerful white dragon, tried to engage Sephiran, but he underestimated the power of Thoron, and was taken down.

Soren stepped forward. With Calill, Ilyana, and Tormod supporting him, Soren decided to engage Sephiran in short range magical combat.

A few Smacks later, Sephiran was quite stunned at the power of the Wind Sage. Thus, he cast a combination of both Luster and Bolgagon. Even after casting so many Smacks, Soren could not fight this ever stronger foe. And finally, Soren himself was defeated.

But as Soren was attacking Sephiran, he was buying time for one of his comrades.

Sephiran was too distracted to notice Rhys using Physic on Lethe, and he was also too distracted to notice Lethe sneaking up on him.

By the time Sephiran defeated Soren, Lethe had already slipped behind him.

Sephiran laughed aloud: "You fools have all failed to face me. Now, all of you are powerless to stop me. I, Emperor of Begnion, order all of you to surrender to my glorious might!"

"Hss... Foolish beorc, your egotistical attitude is your undoing." Lethe pounced on him from behind.

Even though all those Lusters had boosted Sephiran's defense, his base defense was still extremely low, and thus, he could hardly defend himself from Lethe's claws. The other laguz did not have a chance to touch him. Had they been able to, Sephiran would have died long ago.

Lethe's claws quickly tore through Sephiran's robe. Shortly afterwards, the Emperor of Begnion was Emperor no more. Rather, he was merely a corpse dressed in fancy robes. 

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	52. Epilogue Ending 2: Restoration

Here is the final chapter. Note, Character Endings are meant to be read individually. Thus, many of them may seem to have redundancies in their plots.

Epilogue / Ending 2 (Chapter 50): Restoration

As the years went by, our heroes went their separate ways. Some of their paths in life intertwined, while others never saw each other again:

Tormod (Brave Lad):

After the war, Muarim went to Gallia, and Corrine left with Stalker. Tormod returned to the desert, and, soon afterwards, made an agreement with Leakin. The Laguz Emancipation Army became citizens of Begnion, and Leakin and Tormod made certain that all laguz slaves throughout the nation were freed. Of course, that meant that Tormod had to conduct raids, of course, as a Privateer under Leakin's authority, but in the end, the dream of the complete destruction of laguz slavery was complete.

Tormod eventually went to visit Gallia, and told Muarim of this victory. In the end, he spent the remainder of his days in Begnion, with several laguz comrades praising his name for generations.

Leakin (Noble Minister):

After Sephiran's death, the nation of Begnion was in tatters. Duke Leakin stepped forward to try to establish order within Begnion. With the assistance of Kings Tibarn, Haar, and Caineghis, as well as the monetary funds of Queen Elincia, the Duke was able to help rebuild his country. Generals Tanith, Marcia, and Astrid stayed behind to help Leakin ensure that the Begnion Police would be able to stop crime within the nation.

Later, when Astrid and Makalov were about to be married, Astrid's parents refused to accept the union, because Astrid was engaged to Leakin! However, Leakin asked that the engagement be terminated, since he had no right to force Astrid to betray her own desires. But, her parents refused. Leakin, with the help of Elincia, made it possible for Astrid to escape Begnion with Makalov. Unfortunately, Kieran later yelled at him for doing the couple this favor. Because of this, the two comrades were no longer on very good terms. Leakin helped the Stefan and other branded move to Crimea, and helped ensure shelters for the branded who decided to stay behind.

Soon after the war, Leakin was asked to become Emperor of Begnion. He refused, stating that Begnion needed a young and capable leader to guide it to a better future.

Leakin remained a Duke, and was quite a frequent customer at Largo's pub. He helped Tormod free all the laguz in Begnion from slavery, and was named a laguz friend for this accomplishment. He was also present as Astrid's wedding, where he was honored by the people of Crimea for his noble actions. Few 'snotty nobles' had his sense of honor.

Geoffrey/Elincia (A Duke and a Queen):

Queen Elincia, after having helped fund Leakin's rebuilding of Begnion, was quite lonely in her palace. Her retainer, Lucia, married Oscar, and Bastian was quite lonesome and gloomy, so she had no one to truly keep her company. That is, no one except for Geoffrey. The General remained by her side for years after the second Great War.  
Finally, in the year 665, Elincia asked Geoffrey to marry her. Geoffrey was promoted to the rank of Duke, and stood by his wife's side as she ruled over Crimea. The entire nation gave them their blessings.

Ike and his mercenaries were often invited to her palace, as were Stalker and Corrine. Geoffrey and Elincia, however, had no children. Lucia and Oscar's eldest son, Tim, became King of Crimea after their deaths.

Haar/Jill (The Flying Monarchs):

King Haar and Queen Jill continued their rebuilding of Daein. Now that Begnion, with Leakin as one of its primary leaders, was no longer an enemy of Daein, the nation could now focus on its rebuilding. Daein, as Sophie had predicted, became a glorious nation once again. The King and Queen of Daein had Tauroneo, Cakil, Jorhasten, Tomenami, and Sothe supporting them through all the ups and downs.

Eventually, Tauroneo, Cakil, and Sothe were married, but all three still remained as loyal retainers in the palace. Jill continued trying to help ease the pains of the people of her home province of Talegra.

The animosity towards laguz, that had existed in Daein for centuries, was completely abolished. The people of Daein realized that had it not been for Gallia or Phoenicis, they would not have their own nation. Thus, they remained quite thankful to the laguz. For the first time in centuries, a small number of laguz from Begnion settled in Daein, and, to their surprise, were given a warm welcome by the Daein natives.

Jill and Lethe remained close friends, and the latter, with her husband Soren, often visited the Daein royal palace. Jill bore Haar a daughter, Cathy, who took her mother's place as Queen of Daein.

Nealuchi, Stalker/Corrine (A New Kilvas):

As Nealuchi and Stalker planned, the nation of Kilvas was rebuilt. The old tradition Naesala had established of thievery and murder was abolished. Kilvas, through peaceful trade and commerce, was able to make itself stronger. It no longer conducted raids on ships, nor did it accept any amoral tasks from anyone. Stalker was named King of Kilvas after Naesala's death, with Nealuchi as his loyal Prime Minister.

For his Queen, Stalker chose Corrine, the resourceful raven who was once a slave in Begnion. The new monarchs were well respected by their neighboring nations, and, for the first time, relations between Phoenicis and Kilvas were quite friendly. Tibarn and Stalker became good friends, and Corrine and Stalker would often visit the palace of Queen Elincia. All of Tellius were relieved that this new King of Kilvas was a much better man that his predecessor.

Stalker and Corrine had one daughter, Lydia, who became Princess Kilvas. She married Ulki's son Oriole and thus became part of Phoenician nobility. They had two sons, the younger, Miles, became King of Kilvas after his father, and the elder, Trip, joined the Greil Mercenaries.

Kieran/Marcia (Patriotic Warriors):

Leakin's rebuilding of Begnion took time. This time, unfortunately, delayed Kieran and Marcia's marriage for years. Three years after the end of the Great War, Kieran and Marcia were finally married. Unfortunately, Marcia had to tell Ike that Tanith would remain for another two years in Begnion to help Leakin restore the country.

Marcia lived with her husband in the palace of Crimea, and her brother and his wife soon joined them, to both their dismay. Kieran continuously had Makalov leach money from him. Unable to take the lack of funds any longer, Kieran made an exclusive trip to Largo's pub. Meeting Leakin at the pub, Kieran smiled, but shouted at him: "WHY DID YOU DO THAT?! NOW I HAVE TO DEAL WITH MAKALOV AND HIS MONEY LEACHING WAYS! YOU RUINED MARCIA AND I!" From that point forward, Leakin and Kieran were not on very good terms.

Astrid and Makalov's only child, Edward, was lectured by Marcia, who tried her best to convince her nephew not to follow his father's footsteps. But, he still did, and uncle Kieran had another leach begging for money.

Kieran remained the Captain of the Royal Guards, and stood by Queen Elincia and Duke Geoffrey for the rest of his life. Kieran remained close friends with both Cakil and Oscar, and finally gave up his old rivalry with Oscar.

They had two children, the eldest, Mary, volunteering herself as a Crimean Pegasus Knight, while the second, Richard, earned his father's rank.

Tauroneo/Titania (To Love Again):

Tauroneo and Titania had both loved another in the past. Tauroneo married a woman who bore him two sons, but they were all slain. Titania loved Gawain, who had his own wife and two children, and who died on his son's back. Thus, they had felt the loss of love... But now that years passed since their lover's deaths, the two began to feel those old flames... Between each other!

Tauroneo and Titania were married half a year after the end of the Second Great War. Titania agreed to leave her beloved home of Crimea and join Tauroneo in Daein. Both served King Haar and Queen Jill loyally, and tried their best to help Daein. Titania made sure that relations between Crimea and Daein were better than ever before.

Tauroneo often went to visit Largo's pub. Sometimes, Titania would go with him. However, she would usually stay in the palace with Haar and Jill to help them with their daily activities.

Eventually, Titania gave birth to her first child, Ryan, who soon became a General of Daein. Her second son, Peter, followed his parents' wishes and joined the Greil Mercenaries.

Gatrie/Ilyana (Lust and Heartbreak)

Gatrie could not stop chasing after other women. Even after Lucia, Titania, Tanith, and Mia tried their best to convince him to cease his lustful desires, he failed to do so. Shortly after their stay in Begnion, Gatrie ran away with some Begnion handmaiden. Ilyana, sickened by her boyfriend's lustful nature, went away to Daein, where she met up with Muston and Aimee.

Eventually, Ilyana married Daniel and remained a simple merchant. Her children, however, led different lives than their mother. Ilyana had a daughter, Annie, who married Zihark's son John, who was a Branded. They became successful business owners. Her second, Jack, became a General of Begnion.

Gatrie reappeared abruptly at the Greil Mercenary headquarters with a female Daein Soldier, Julie, whom he met when he tried to find Ilyana and ended up at Fort Blanche. Gatrie and Julie eventually married, and Gatrie remained an important member of the Greil Mercenaries.

Gatrie and Julie had six children. His third child, Linda, became a Halberdier for the Greil Mercenaries. However, the rest of his children never made a name for themselves.

Giffca (Eternal Shadow):

Giffca remained Caineghis's shadow warrior. He was the first to return to Gallia. Later, he welcomed Soren, Muarim, and Zihark to Gallia, but other than that, he never married, nor did he go to visit his other comrades. Eventually, he was only remembered as Caineghis's loyal retainer.

Stefan (Exodus):

Stefan returned to the Branded colony. He and Isaac gathered the Branded together. With the acceptance of both Queen Elincia and Duke Leakin, Stefan and many of his fellow Branded moved to Crimea, while Isaac and several others went to Begnion. Stefan continued to live in Crimea, but he never married.

Janaff (Legendary Eyes):

Janaff remained a loyal retainer for King Tibarn. He eventually married a female Hawk, Ester, and she mothered his only child: Ryu, who inherited his father's eyes and rank. Ryu married his colleague, Robin, the next generation of ears for Tibarn. Their child, thankfully, inherited both of his grandparent's abilities.

Ulki (Legendary Ears):

Ulki remained a loyal retainer for King Tibarn as well. He married a female Raven, Estonia, and she mothered three children. His second son, Oriole, inherited his father's ears, and married Corrine's daughter, Lydia, the Princess of Kilvas. Oriole, however, did not take his father's rank. Ulki's youngest child, his daughter Robin, also inherited her father's ears, and earned her father's rank. She married Ryu, who was Tibarn's eyes at the time. Their child, thankfully, inherited both of his grandparent's abilities.

Largo/Calill (Heavy Drinking and Makeup):

Largo reopened his pub, known as Ike's Inn. He and Calill continued to receive several guests. Leakin was a frequent customer, as was Tauroneo. Ike himself would visit from time to time, and when he appeared, Largo would be unable to hold off the mobs of people who wanted to see Crimea's national hero. Calill continued making herself look glamorous, and Largo would constantly drink to his heart's content. Muarim and Kris would also stop by once in a while, but Kyarah would do her best to convince Muarim not to drink at the Pub.

Sadly, Largo and Calill had no children.

Kris/Amy (The Wealthy Lumberjacks):

Kris fulfilled his dream as a Lumberjack, and made his company, known as Kris's Lumber. Elincia exclusively ordered that her palace be made from the quality wood of Kris's Lumber, as did Haar and Jill. With two monarchs asking for his specific wood, Kris's business soon boomed. Amy and Kris soon became quite rich, but Amy used a lot of the money to help Stefan and the other branded rebuild and move. Kris would stop by at Largo's pub from time to time, but other than that, he had little time to visit the rest of his comrades.

Kris and Amy had one child, Sean, who continued the family business.

Boyd (The Jealous Brother):  
Boyd never married. He remained a member of the Greil Mercenaries for some time, but could no longer stand the fact that practically all the members of the Mercenaries were married, or were children of the marriages of his comrades. He left the Mercenaries and left for a gambling trip with Bastian, and neither man was ever seen again.

Bastian (The Lonesome Sage):

Bastian loved Lucia, but Lucia loved Oscar. Bastian, sick of Lucia and Oscar's wedding, led a depressed life in Elincia's palace. Eventually, when he was invited by Lucia to visit the Greil Mercenaries, he spoke with Boyd, who also was lonesome and jealous. The two men decided to go on a gambling trip, without Makalov, of course. The two of them left on this trip, and were never seen again.

Cakil (The Reckless General)

Cakil continued to serve under Jill and Haar with loyalty. He recklessly wiped out several new bandit strongholds in Daein, and was almost killed on one of these missions, as usual. He remained close friends with Kieran.

Cakil eventually married Sophie's little sister, and remained a General of Daein. He had a son, Marcus, who also became a Daein Paladin.

Sothe (Youthful Honor):

Sothe eventually married a young girl named Michelle. She was one of his thief friends who lived in the slums of Nevassa. Sothe remained a Royal General, and was one of Haar and Jill's most trusted retainers.

He and Michelle had a daughter, Rosaline, who later ran away from home. No one knows where she went.

Jorhasten (Financial Minister):

Jorhasten remained Minister of Finance for Daein. He never married, but, like Giffca, remained known as Haar and Jill's loyal retainer.

Oscar/Lucia (Calm Lovers):

Thanks to Oscar, Lucia began to calm down. Her terrifying anger towards men slowly began to die down, and she became a much more pleasant person. She cheerfully invited Bastian to visit her and the rest of the Greil Mercenaries, but later, Bastian disappeared with Boyd. Lucia helped the Greil Mercenaries a lot. She even gave free swordsmanship lessons to Rhys's daughter, Lisa.

Oscar was asked by Tanith to give her cooking lessons, for she wanted to become a better wife for Ike. Oscar agreed and taught her all he knew. Soon, she became better than him. Oscar and Kieran finally stopped being rivals, though Kieran could hardly believe that Oscar's oldest boy became King. The two remained close friends for the rest of their days.

Lucia mothered three boys. Her oldest, Tim, became the new King of Crimea. Her second, Jim, became a Paladin of the Greil Mercenaries and earned his father's rank. Her third, Whim, went to Begnion and became a Swordmaster.

Tomenami (Palmeni's Leader):

Father Tomenami remained the leading Bishop of Palmeni Temple till his death. Throughout Daein, many hurt and lost souls went to his church for guidance. They all received Ashera's blessings. Tomenami continued to serve the people of Tellius as a symbol of spiritual strength, wisdom, kindness, and peace.

Ranulf/Lyre (Gallia's Pride):

Ranulf, one of Gallia's most honorable Generals, and Lyre, the famous Captain of Gallia who fought beside him, were well respected within Gallia. They were even well known all over Tellius! The two kept their emotions hidden from their comrades, but, with only Soren, Lethe, Zihark, Relane, Muarim, and Giffca knowing, got married. Ranulf and Lyre eventually went to visit the Greil Mercenaries, and gave Ike quite a shock.

Ranulf and Lyre had four children. His oldest son, Viktor, earned his father's rank. His second, a girl, Merra, married Soren's son Narot. His third daughter, Nereid, married Zihark's son Pelleas. Their youngest daughter, Selene, married Muarim's son Kalok.

Mia/Rhys (Defying Protocol):

Rhys was a Bishop. This meant that he had to follow the oath of Celibacy. However, Mia was quite a lively girl, and thus, this oath was nearly impossible to keep. Rhys eventually gave up his title and married Mia, but that was after he helped marry Ike and Tanith.

Mia had a daughter, Lisa, who she trained day and night to be a Swordmistress. With Lucia's additional help, Lisa became quite a formidable member of the Greil Mercenaries.

Astrid/Makalov (Blind Love):  
Astrid could never get her eyes off of Makalov. The latter was extremely lucky, at least to Bastian and Boyd. Kieran, who married Marcia, was extremely reluctant to let him borrow money, but with Astrid pleading and Marcia telling him: 'Sorry, but it's your job,' Kieran was forced to give Makalov money. Makalov, predictably, would gamble it all away.

Leakin was forced to help the couple flee to Crimea so that they could get married. Because of this, Kieran made an exclusive trip to Largo's pub. Meeting Leakin at the pub, Kieran smiled, but shouted at him: "WHY DID YOU DO THAT?! NOW I HAVE TO DEAL WITH MAKALOV AND HIS MONEY LEACHING WAYS! YOU RUINED MARCIA AND I!" Leakin and Kieran were no longer on good terms because of this, but Makalov didn't care. He continued leaching off money from Kieran anyway.

Makalov and Astrid had one son, Edward. Marcia did her best to make sure that her nephew did not follow his father's ways. But, he still did... Edward eventually was broke and forced to leach off of uncle Kieran as well.

Rolf/Mist (Love Blossoming):

Rolf and Mist were both very young during the Second Great War. Six years after the war, Rolf was finally of age. He and Mist were married, with Ike's blessings.

Both of Rolf's children became members of the Greil Mercenaries. His eldest son, Robby, became a Sniper, while his younger daughter, Angela, became a Valkyrie.

Nasir (The Mysterious Dragon):

Nasir, as mysterious as ever, walked away towards Goldoa at the end of the war. He left his ship docked in a Crimean port. When Geoffrey was asked to speak to him, Nasir told Geoffrey to give the ship to Elincia as a gift from Goldoan royalty. After Geoffrey reported this to Elincia, Ranulf and Lethe tried to contact Nasir, but failed to. The white Dragon was never seen again.

Mordecai (Gentle Tiger):

Mordecai remained a gentle blue tiger. He often visited the Greil Mercenaries and played with the children. He was older than Muarim and the other laguz, so they tended to respect his friendliness and softness. Lethe always said that because of Mordecai, she learned to be more kind towards beorc. Beorc children learned to never fear their kind, old, and big friend.

Devdan (Strange Man):

Unlike Mordecai, Devdan put fear into the hearts of some small children. He got along well with others, however. Nepheene personally avoided Devdan at all costs. Devdan continued serving as a member of Elincia's palace guard, picking flowers rather than polishing his skill with a spear. However, he never gave Kieran a hard time, so he retained his rank until his death.

Volke/Nepheene (Clandestine Fields):

Nepheene was always intrigued by the secret Assassin, who always demanded gold for every task. When Astrid's contract was over, Nepheene hired him to keep her company. Of course, this involved some experiences that caused Nepheene to cling on to Volke. Eventually, one night, when Volke was about to leave, Nepheene grabbed his cloak.

"Volke, please... Stay..."

"Nepheene... You don't want to live with a thief, do you? You could find yourself a nice guy. You don't have to stay with someone like me."

"How can I when we've...? No, Volke. I want to be with you... I don't care if the authorities will be after us every day, as long as you're with me."

"Then... Then you'll marry me."

"Yes."

From that point forward, Volke and Nepheene continued their life together. Unfortunately, they had to live secretly in the countryside, for many people were looking for Volke to kill him for the jobs he did. Neither Ike, Brom, nor any other veteran hear of what happened to the couple.

Brom (Happy Farmer and Father):

Brom remained a good provider for his family. They were all quite chubby, and Boyd's old training of Brom seems to have failed. Brom refused to fight during the Second Great War, and, so, his family actually had quite a good harvest. He never saw Nepheene nor any of his other old comrades again.

Ike/Tanith (Pure Bliss):

Tanith decided to help Leakin rebuild Begnion. That meant that she would have to stay committed to this for several years. Even after both Marcia and Astrid left for Crimea to marry their sweethearts, Tanith stayed behind.

When Ike returned to Crimea, thousands of girls all across the continent went to him, offering their love and greetings, but Ike turned them all down. He was hounded by them day and night, but still thought of Tanith.

Five years passed without him seeing her. Five lonely years... Even Soren and Lethe were married in less time than that!

Three years went by, and Marcia finally showed up. Ike was present at her wedding with Kieran. But no Tanith...

For two years after Marcia's return, Tanith still did not appear, and Ike began to feel worried. "Could she be using this as a ploy? Has she found a man in Begnion? Could it be?" Ike thought with desperation.

Finally, one particularly windy day, the sand had been churned into a storm, and had blinded everyone. From the distance, Ike could see that faint speck of black and white armor, and the purple cape.

"It couldn't be... Could it?" Ike muttered.

"Could it be?..." He glanced into the distance, and ran towards her.

Tanith stepped slowly towards the Mercenary Fort. "Please don't tell me he found another girl. Ike's not a Gatrie..." Tanith muttered to herself. "This storm sure isn't helping..."

As she continued stepping forward, she saw the red scarf flapping in that blinding whirl of sand. "Ike? Is that him?" She thought as she also ran forward.

The sand made it hard for either of them to see each other. And so, in a semi-stupid manner, they ran into each other. As both fell on the ground, the sand slowly began to dissipate.

"Ike?" Tanith shook her head.

"Tanith!"

"It's been so long!"

"You didn't leave me..."

"I never will..."

"Look, I know this is abrupt, but I've missed you, and... And we went through a lot together. It's been five years, I know. We've only spoken to each other for those four years during the wars. But, but I can't stand not seeing you... I ask you once again: are you willing to give up your rank of General and live with me as a simple Mercenary?"  
Tanith smiled: "Why did I walk for 300 miles through rocky mountains, dark forests, unpaved roads, and burned out terrain? Do you think I merely did it for the scenery? I made my decision five years ago, Ike, and nothing will change that decision. Nothing."

Before Ike could speak, she moved in for a kiss. All present cheered as though they had just fought a difficult battle.

It was true that Tanith was two years older than Ike, but, then again, Mist was two years older than Rolf, and they were still a couple. (Explanation: Ike was eighteen when Tanith was twenty during Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, at least in my timeline. This is why Tanith looks older than Ike in the game. Obviously, she is older than him.)

Ike and Tanith were married, with Rhys's blessings. Soren was one of the first to congratulate the couple, and their wedding represented the final steps to peace. Crimea and Begnion were no longer enemies, and, finally, life could return to normal for the people of Tellius.

The couple had three children. Ike's oldest son, Mel, became a Swordmaster, like his father and mother. Ike's second child, Megan, joined her friend Mary, Marcia's oldest daughter, and became a Crimean Pegasus Knight. Ike's youngest son, Job, left for Begnion and became a Halberdier in their ranks.

Soren/Lethe, Zihark/Relane, Muarim/Kyarah (Glorious Gallia):

A year has passed since the Great War ended.

Soren, Muarim, and Zihark strolled along the path. They were surrounded by a thick forest, and this little natural trail seemed a little unfamiliar for Soren and Zihark. Muarim could walk in it quite fine, but the other two had a more difficult time.

"Hurry up, Soren! Gallia is right ahead." Lethe shouted. She, Lyre, Ranulf, and Relane were all far ahead of the three of them.

"Alright, alright. Don't worry, Lethe. Why don't you and Lyre run up ahead, since you're so interested?"

"Why do you think I bothered coming this whole way?! We're here to show you the glories of Gallia!" Lethe snarled.

"There they go again, arguing their heads off." Zihark whispered in Muarim's ear.

"Ah, yes... But in the end, they are still so gentle to one another." Muarim smirked.

"Soren! Don't ruin the moment!" Lethe growled.

"Trust me, your shrill voice is ruining this much more than my attitude." Soren yawned.

"WHAT?!"

"Both of you, stop this. His majesty would not like to have a quarreling host and guest. Lethe, behave yourself. Soren, please stop being selfish. Even if you did not wish to come here, Zihark and Muarim do, so be much more tolerant and tactful!" Ranulf scolded.

"Scolded by Ranulf. Woe is me." Soren muttered.

The seven of them finally arrived at the doors of Castle Gallia.

"Alright. The rest of you wait here. I'll go speak to His Majesty." Ranulf nodded.

"Don't worry about us, Ranulf. I'm sure everyone'll stay in line." Lethe smirked.

"Lethe, I..."

"Don't worry about it, Soren. I know that this place brings back some bad memories. But, it's my hometown, and I'll make sure that they won't be able to humiliate you here. Don't worry about it. After all, you have me." Lethe nodded.

Soren smiled shyly as Muarim looked around.

A cat laguz walked towards them, and was sniffing the air.

He spoke aloud: "I sense that there's a tainted smell here... It couldn't be!" The laguz stared at Lethe.

Lethe glared back at him: "Citizen? Do you need anything?"

"Whore!" The male laguz roared. Other males instantly heard the roar, and they knew what it meant. Female laguz who slept with beorc were considered filthy harlots in Gallian society, and many of such females were murdered. These happened so frequently that even Caineghis and Ranulf could not stop such actions. Sadly, this was happening at the very doors of the palace itself.

Several laguz morphed into laguz form. They were tigers, making them a great threat. More cats appeared, and soon, over thirty males surrounded the six of them.

Lyre growled: "You won't be able to get past me! She is my sister, Marching General of Gallia!"

"That goes to show how corrupted our government is. It would accept a whore to be such a high rank. What an insult to Gallia! My brothers, we will purge our homeland of such an abomination!" The male growled again.  
Muarim immediately morphed into laguz form: "Lethe is an honorable laguz who did so much for all of you during the Great War, and you would attack her simply because she fell in love with Soren? That is pathetic. You will not be able to get past me!"

Relane also morphed. "I might not be able to fight much, but I will die to protect Lethe and Soren!"

"That is because you desire to mate with that lavender-haired human over there." The male sneered. (Explanation: Zihark, the optimistic guy that he is, figured that the war is over, so he washed out his dye.)

Soren stepped forward: "Brother laguz, cease this madness!"

"You dare refer to me as a brother, human?! I will kill you myself!" The male growled again.

"I am no human. I am a parentless! This apparent racism of yours sickens me... You seem to think that love between a laguz and a beorc is impossible. It's not! You won't be able to hurt her, not when I am still alive!" Soren shouted.

However, Soren thought to himself: "He's a brother laguz. If I kill him, I betray Lethe, so I can't afford to attack... I might go out of control."

So, as Muarim, Relane, Zihark, and Lethe fought the laguz, Soren stepped back. Three laguz all tore into his skin, but he refused to fight them.

"Soren!" Lethe screeched.

"I can't kill my brother laguz... My spells are too powerful. I doubt that they'd be able to survive." Soren coughed.

"Then die, weakling!" The leading male laguz laughed as he pounced.

"SMACK!" Soren yelled.

The spell whacked the laguz as he was pouncing on Soren, and the laguz was thrown back.

Moments afterwards, another laguz roared from a distance: "What is going on here?!"

"Kysha! Help us! We're under attack!" Lyre yelled.

A dark grey tiger appeared, with a light green tiger at his side. The two of them attacked the other laguz and tried to help Lyre and the others.

The light green tiger seemed weaker than her opponents, but she fought bravely and ran towards Muarim. "Brother tiger, are you well?" She asked him.  
"Yes, sister. Who are you?"

"I am Kyarah, Kysha's sister. My brother and I have known Lyre for some time. Are you a friend of hers?"

"We are comrades. I guess you can say that I'm a close friend of both sisters, especially Lethe."

"Now, I hear that Lethe has mated with that beorc over there."

"He is not a beorc. He is a branded, but he is a very good man."

"I trust that he is. Lethe is no fool. Her mate must be a noble laguz friend for her to do such a thing."

"Now, sister. This is not a good time to talk. We must keep them away."

"You're right. Let's go."

The two of them joined Kysha and Lyre in taking down the enemy laguz. As the fighting continued, Giffca stepped out of the gate. Seeing the chaos, he roared aloud, and Ranulf and Caineghis appeared from behind him.

The enemy laguz immediately stopped attacking, but instead bowed down towards Caineghis. Lyre, Lethe, Relane, Kysha, and Kyarah followed suit. Soren, Muarim, and Zihark slowly tried to bow as well.

"Stand, noble tiger." Caineghis spoke to Muarim.

Muarim stood, and nodded.

"This, Gallians, is a worthy laguz. He was a slave of the cowardly and despicable Begnion nobles, yet he earned his freedom and escaped. But he did not save his own skin, rather, he gathered an army of freed slaves and freed hundreds more. He fought as hard as he could to ensure that all former slaves could be free. I do not invite pointless guests to my kingdom and not get offended when they lack proper laguz etiquette. A laguz like him deserves to be honored. Muarim, I must bow down before you."

"My king, you cannot..." The male laguz who started the fight began.

"Silence!" Caineghis roared. He bowed before Muarim, who was too shocked to move. When Caineghis rose, he pointed to Zihark:

"This, Gallians, is an honorable beorc. He deceived several laguz-hunting vigilantes into letting him stay with them so that he could learn their tactics, but instead, he did his best to save laguz from being hunted down by beorc. The woman he loved is among us, Lieutenant Relane of Gallia (Relane blushed slightly at these words), but their romance was short lived. Our foolish tradition kept the two of them apart, but Zihark here never felt animosity toward the laguz for this. Rather, he has remained loyal to our people to the end." Caineghis nodded to Zihark. "He is one of my most honored guests.

"But the third person here... Has a much greater past. This, my friends, is Soren of the branded. From an early age, he lived here in Gallia. Our brethren tormented him for being a branded. They shamelessly called him by the undignified name of 'parentless.' The beorc who settled here also cursed him for existing. All treated him as though looking at him was a curse that blinded their eyes.

"Not surprisingly, he kept some resentment in his heart. He called Colonel Mordecai a 'sub-human.' He tried to attack Mordecai and Lethe, and he showed some resentment at being in my palace when I spoke to Ike.

"But he has changed. In only a year, he changed into a man who respected laguz, and who was quite concerned at their well being. Four years after that, he becomes capable of falling in love with a laguz... Of standing beside her to the bitter end. That is not easy. Not easy at all. A man who was tormented by a people his whole life learns in merely five years to think them as family. Soren here is a greater man than many of my subjects. You, my impetuous brother, you tried to kill him! You tried to kill this greater man than yourself! He is my most honored guest, and I am an unworthy wretch compared to someone great like him."

As Caineghis tried to bow again, Soren immediately prostrated himself on the floor. "Oh, great King, you honor me deeply with your sentiments. Few laguz have acknowledged me for who I am, Soren of the Greil Mercenaries. Instead, they shout and growl and try to kill me for being a 'parentless.' You are a great man, your majesty, and you need not bow down to anyone. Rather, let this day be a lesson to all peoples, Beorc, Laguz, and Branded. We cannot continue our Folly of racism and prejudice. We cannot continue our pathetic lust for war and bloodshed. No, we must move on. We must become more tolerant, more peaceful, and better people. No matter what we are, laguz, beorc, or branded, we are people most of all! We think alike, we have the same dreams, the same joys, and the same sorrows. We are not so different from one another. All of our races must join together as brothers and sisters. After all, in essence, we are one united peoples! Let us not allow our vices to destroy us once again!" Soren spoke.

Thus, Caineghis was quite moved, and the rest of the laguz were speechless. Soren stepped forward to Lethe, and she put her head on his shoulder. Caineghis smiled: "Good branded, we shall ensure that your words will be remembered. Let us all be united!" He cheered. Zihark and Muarim, with all the people present, cheered with him.

Kyarah and Muarim soon began their uneasy courtship. Yes, Kyarah was quite talkative and Muarim was quiet, but in a way, it allowed the two of them to connect quite well together. Kyarah was a good talker, and Muarim was a good listener. Eventually, the two laguz chose one another as their mates.

Soren and Lethe received their blessings from all of the monarchies of Tellius. The beorc knew him as the wise Sage who saved Crimea and Daein, and freed Begnion from the tyrannical rule of Sephiran. The laguz knew him as the great branded who spoke of unity, and who saved Gallia and stood by Phoenicis and Kilvas (Stalker's men) in the war against Begnion's mighty armies.

Zihark and Relane also received their blessings from Caineghis. They were the first to be married. However, as was the custom of laguz marriages, Relane had to choose a male opponent for Zihark to fight to show his strength. Zihark was extremely unwilling to fight a laguz, but, eventually, he had to duel Kysha. The tiger was beaten by Zihark's skilled strokes, and, immediately after he defeated Kysha, Zihark tried to heal his opponent, winning more applause from the laguz guests at the wedding.

Muarim married Kyarah, and had to fight Ranulf. (Ranulf earlier had fought Giffca, and miraculously won in his marriage to Lyre.) The two had quite an exciting duel, as Muarim rammed into Ranulf and the latter countered with his claws and teeth, but in the end, Muarim won, and happily went away with his bride.

Soren and Lethe were finally married. Tanith was still in Begnion, but Ike was present to congratulate him. Titania was, surprisingly, there as well, along with the rest of the Greil Mercenaries. The sight was quite moving to Soren, and he actually wept with joy. They had gone full circle. Now, he was standing beside his old friends, with the woman he loved, and no one could take this happy moment from him. No one. Soren also had to fight Ranulf, but, to the latter's embarrassment, took him down with two Smacks.

Relane mothered two branded boys, Pelleas, who later married Nereid, Ranulf's daughter, and John, who married Ilyana's daughter Annie. Pelleas eventually was hired as a minister for the Gallian court. John, on the other hand, became a successful entrepreneur in Daein.

Kyarah mothered three sons. Her eldest, Kalok, married Ranulf's daughter, Selene. He became a General of Gallia. Her second, Narok, named after one of Muarim's old friends, was a diligent worker in Gallia. Her third, Sezok, left for Begnion and lived with the laguz who Muarim freed from slavery.

Tormod visited Muarim in Gallia, and told his 'father' of his victory in freeing all the slaves. Unfortunately, Tormod wanted to be independent of Muarim, and Muarim felt that life was much better in Gallia than in Grann Desert, so the two finally went their separate ways.

Lethe mothered five children. To her pleasant surprise, she had two laguz children, even though she expected all of them to be branded. Her oldest, Michael, became a Sage like his father, and after living in Gallia for some time, he went to join the Greil Mercenaries. Her second, Reklana, was a female cat laguz, like her mother. She eventually earned her mother's rank and became Marching General of Gallia. Her third, Joey, became a Swordmaster for Crimea. Her fourth, Narot, was a male cat laguz, and became a warrior of Gallia, he married Ranulf's daughter, Merra. Her youngest daughter, Melody, became a Valkyrie for the Greil Mercenaries.

Conclusion: That Faithful Day

After Soren and Lethe were married, Tauroneo, who had arrived late at the wedding, advised that everyone go to Largo's bar. This allowed our heroes to be together for the last time, before they go their separate ways. At Largo's bar, Tauroneo ordered a cold beer, and Gatrie, Kieran, Cakil, Leakin, Kris, and even Muarim (for Kyarah let him have a drink, just this once), sat together on a large round table. The others, who did not drink, stood nearby, and Tauroneo spoke: "Long ago, Gawain, Bryce, and I would sing an old song after every epic battle. Though I know that Tanith isn't here, and a few of us are missing, I'd still like to share it with you."

The lyrics are as follows:

This Faithful Day

"It's time, it's time to sit and cry  
Remembering... this faithful day.  
This war, it's been a wretched war  
My friends, are dead and gone.  
My lord, he is a gracious lord  
Rewards, piled high and deep.  
But, ah! The screams and blood and pain  
I try... Try to forget.  
The years, the years fly by and fast  
My beard... grows ever white.  
Now I, I come to sit and cry  
Remembering... this faith-ful day!"

_Fin_

Disclaimer: "This Faithful Day" is completely my own work. There are no copywrights involved, unless I wanted to sue myself.

I had lots of fun writing this story, and I hope that all of you who read it leaves just one review. I want to know what I might have did wrong.

Heck, this story might be shabby, but it's my first. I spent a lot of time on it. (Some of that time should have been used to study.) And now, it's finally complete.

Once again, I thank everyone for reading this story, especially you, Sarah's Twilight. Rowan, thanks a lot for your comments too.

Stay tuned, for I will write more fanfiction when I have time. One of them will be a story about Tauroneo, Bryce, and Gawain when they were young. You can expect "That Faithful Day" to appear once more.

Goodbye, everyone, and thank you!


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